COVID-19 is found in Cedar County

WAYNE – Cedar County has its first cases of coronavirus, the Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department announced Monday.

Several unconfirmed reports indicate the two cases of COVID-19 originated in the Randolph area.

The Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department reports there are a total of five new cases in their health district, which serves Cedar, Dixon, Thurston, and Wayne counties.

The cases are three males and two females. Two people are under the age of 20-years-old and there is one each in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

Health officials have started investigations to identify close contacts of the cases to ensure isolation measures.

To date, there are a total of 12 cases in the four counties as of Monday afternoon. Dixon County has the most confirmed cases with five, while Thurston County has three.

“We need to consider that anyone could be infectious with the virus, even those who do not have symptoms,” NNPHD Health Director Julie Rother said. “Please remember to use good social distancing and infection control practices such as wearing a face mask in public and not touching your face with unwashed hands.”

The CDC said that most COVID-19 illnesses are mild, but about 16 percent of cases are serious. Older people or those with underlying health conditions are most at risk.