The good news, he said, is that officials know where she acquired the disease and they can track her movements since her return and begin to assess risks to those with whom she had contact. In states such as Washington, officials haven’t known, in some cases, where patients acquired the disease.

The state’s first case also comes as Nebraska’s ability to conduct lab tests on people who develop symptoms is expanding.

The Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, which also is on the UNMC campus, can test up to 100 specimens a day, Safranek said. The lab was among the first three public health labs in the country to get the OK to run the test. Initially, results had to be sent to the CDC for validation. That’s no longer required.

Meanwhile, a clinical lab jointly operated by UNMC and Nebraska Medicine has developed its own test, based on one approved by the World Health Organization. The lab has received an emergency-use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

In addition, two large national laboratory testing firms last week announced that they will begin offering a coronavirus test to health care providers.