CRETE, NE — COVID-19 numbers appear to be plateauing in southeast Nebraska.

Public Health Solutions cover Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Saline and Thayer counties. PHS reported 45 new COVID-19 cases and an 18.15 percent positivity rate in its district over the last week. The case number splits the totals from the past two weeks and the positivity rate is within two percent of each of the past two weeks.

Officials say five area residents were hospitalized with the virus.

The health department says it continues to receive 1,100 first-dose vaccines from the State each week. Officials say they plan to start vaccinating school personnel in March.

The PHS risk dial worsened slightly but remains in the ‘moderate’ category.

The Nebraska DHHS Vaccine Registration Portal is live and can be found at https://vaccinate.ne.gov/.