COLUMBUS, NE — Increased testing efforts are helping to confirm more cases of COVID-19 in the East Central District Health Department.

The Health Department says it has confirmed 36 new cases of the virus in its coverage area, which includes Boone, Colfax, Nance and Platte counties. That brings the Health Department’s total to 67 cases, an increase of 116 percent from the previous total of 31.

The Health Department says 23 of the new cases were identified through a mass-testing event held on Friday in Schuyler. The event was led by the Health Department in coordination with the Nebraska National Guard, Colfax Emergency Management, Centro Hispano, CHI Health Schuyler and Columbus Community Hospital Occupational Health. Officials tested 106 people at the event.

The Health Department says 19 of the new cases are in Platte County, home to Columbus, and 17 are in Colfax County, home to Schuyler. Health officials are still investigating the cases.

Health officials appear to be focusing testing efforts on communities with meat packing plants. Some plants, including the JBS beef plant in Grand Island, have seen hundreds of workers fall ill with the virus. Schuyler is home to a Cargill beef plant which employs about 2,150 people. A Cargill turkey plant in Columbus employs about 250 people. It is unclear if any Cargill workers have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Health Department also reports nine probable cases of the virus. It says more details will be released later this week.