LINCOLN- Nebraska will immediately return to daily releases of more extensive COVID-19 data as hospitalizations have crossed a key threshold, according to Gov. Pete Ricketts.

The state averaged 400 people hospitalized with COVID last week, up from 386 the week before, according to a World-Herald analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. That is at or close to 10% of the state’s staffed beds — a number the state has used as a trigger for how much data it releases on its public dashboard and how often.

The dashboard had been scaled down for the last 2½ weeks. The pared-down version has been updated weekly rather than daily and has not included county-specific or demographic data.

At a press conference, Ricketts looked to Dr. Gary Anthone, the state director of public health, who confirmed that Nebraska would return to daily data releases effective November 8th.

Ricketts said the state was not, however, planning to reinstate the pause on elective surgeries.

“We think the hospitals have been able to manage it, with regard to their personnel and so forth,” he said. “So, we’re not planning on doing that. But we will be going back to … updating the dashboard daily.”

The dashboard will include the same data on COVID-19 as was included before the latest scaling back, he said, plus data related to flu and RSV in the state.

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