Rise in Covid cases being seen, affecting Gage County law enforcement

BEATRICE – With Covid variants across the U.S. said to be more contagious, Gage County government is seeing some resurgence of Covid cases, within law enforcement.  Sheriff Millard Gustafson informed the Board of Supervisors Wednesday about some new cases involving one deputy, one corrections officer, and one jail inmate. 

"We've quarantined the area in the jail as best we can. We took one complete transport load out to Dawson County, with males. We're full, at 42 people this week....we're trying to get the numbers down. We've got some down here at Richardson County, but they got full. Four there got shipped up to Blair, up in Washington County. It's just that time of year that its spiking for us. I talked to the department of health to see what else we can do...and of course, they want you to wear the N-95 mask and glove up...and we sanitize as best we can. Other facilities have had the problem where it started out like this, with a more contagious virus."

Gage County Emergency Manager Lisa Wiegand says an increase in Covid cases is also being seen elsewhere in the county.

"We're also seeing it in the long-term care facilities right now, so unfortunately with Covid, there are some outbreaks again. The rules will be adjusted again for those long-term care facilities in terms of visitors. It just is, how it is right now."

Wiegand says the county has a lot of personal protective equipment that was obtained at no cost….but not of N-95 masks…which come at some cost to acquire.