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COVID cases in Nebraska are rising just as families prepare to gather for Thanksgiving. But rates remain relatively low compared to previous holiday seasons during the pandemic.

The state added 44 deaths to its toll, bringing the total for the pandemic to 4,606. Nebraska is averaging about two deaths a day since the beginning of October.

The number of COVID-19 cases jumped 25% in Nebraska last week, a sign that the virus may be embarking on another winter surge.

After seven consecutive weeks of lower case counts statewide, COVID-19 cases jumped 27 percent from 1,508 to 1,915 this past week.

The state reported 1,140 cases for the week ending Oct. 19, an 8% increase from 1,052 the previous week, according to CDC data.

Pandemic experts say the vast majority of COVID-19 deaths today would be preventable through vaccinations and indoor masking. But support for those protective measures has waned.

Getting the latest COVID-19 booster between now and Halloween can help people protect themselves over the upcoming holidays, a Nebraska physician says.

Despite the fact that cases and hospitalizations in Nebraska and the U.S. are down, the nation last week still recorded a daily average of 392 COVID-related deaths.

The state added 2,121 cases last week, down 28% from the previous week. Much of the state now is in the CDC’s “low” community level.

The data reported by public health agencies in Nebraska has ebbed and flowed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.