Fewer COVID Cases, but Nebraska Hospitals Are Still 'Bursting at the Seams'

Patients with COVID-19 are filling half the number of beds that they were at this time last year, which is good news for Nebraska's hospitals and the health care workers who are nearing the end of their third year dealing with the pandemic. What's not good news is that even with fewer COVID patients, hospitals throughout Nebraska still are overflowing.

At Methodist Health System, patient numbers so far in January are essentially the same as they were at this time last year, even though about one-third as many are COVID patients.

While patient surges linked to the pandemic have at times caused acute issues with hospital capacity, wider industry and structural issues have exacerbated a more chronic problem that existed before COVID hit.

Omaha World-Herald: Fewer COVID cases, but Nebraska hospitals are still 'bursting at the seams'