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'We've been preparing since January': Health officials confirm 1st COVID-19 case in Nebraska Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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>> TODAY, NEBRASKA RECEIVED CONFIRMATION OF OUR FIRST POSITIVE COVID-19 PATIENT. DAVID: THAT PATIENT IS NOW IN THE BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT. OMAHA’S NEWS LEADER WAS AT UNMC WHEN THE AMBULANCE ROLLED IN. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M DAVID EARL. HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW. THE 36-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IS FROM OMAHA. SHE RECENTLY TRAVELED ABROAD AND STARTED SHOWING SYMPTOMS WHEN SHE RETURNED HOME. TONIGHT, WE’RE ASKING WHO SHE MAY HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH BEFORE GOING TO THE E.R. FIRST, KETV NEWSWATCH 7’S SARAH FILI IS LIVE WITH WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE PATIENT. SARAH: FEDERAL LAWS PREVENT THE HOSPITALS FROM TELLING US THE WOMAN’S IDENTITY, BUT THEY DID GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT HER TRAVEL HISTORY AND THE SEVERITY OF HER ILLNESS. PARAMEDICS IN FULL PROTECTIVE GEAR MOVE A 36-YEAR-OLD WOMAN INTO HER HOME FOR THE TIME BEING, THE BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER. SHE’S IN AN ISOLATION POD. >> IT’S A PATIENT WHO WAS A TRAVELER. THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT’S NOT A COMMUNITY CASE WHERE WE DON’T KNOW THE LINK. SARAH: GOVERNOR PETE RICKETTS, ALONG WITH HEALTH OFFICIALS, SAY THE WOMAN AND HER FATHER WERE TRAVELLING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN LATE FEBRUARY. >> IT’S NOT SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE DON’T KNOW HOW THEY GOT IT. WE KNOW WHERE THE SOURCE OF THIS CAME FROM. SARAH: SHE GOT BACK INTO OMAHA ON FEBRUARY 27. DOCTORS SAY SHE WAS SICK WITH A RESPIRATORY INFECTION WHILE TRAVELLING. >> WE’RE ACTUALLY DEALING WITH DAY 11 NOW. SARAH: DOCTORS SAY SHE HAD MILD SYMPTOMS UNTIL THURSDAY, WHEN SOMEONE BROUGHT HER TO A METHODIST HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM. >> SHE PRESENTED WITH A PNEUMONIA AND HAD LOW OXYGEN LEVELS, SO SHE REQUIRED OXYGEN THERAPY. SARAH: DOCTORS SAY SHE IS VERY SERIOUSLY ILL, AND HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. UNMC STRESSES THAT MOST CASES WILL NOT BE TREATED IN THE BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT, ONLY THE MOST SEVERE. GOVERNOR PETE RICKETTS HAS ADVICE TO STOP THE SPREAD. >> DO THAT ELBOW BUMP, WASH YOUR HANDS REGULARLY FOR 20 SECONDS. THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAN HELP MITIGATE THIS. IF YOU’RE SICK, WE WANT YOU TO STAY HOME, AND WE NEED EMPLOYERS TO COOPERATE WITH THIS. SARAH: ONE OTHER PERSON IS IN THE BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT TONIGHT, AND SOVEREIGN OTHERS ARE IN THE NATIONAL -- SEVEN OTHERS ARE IN THE NATIONAL TEA