Nebraska governor in quarantine after exposure to COVID-19

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) said Monday that he would quarantine after coming into close contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19.

A statement from the governor’s office indicated that Ricketts had not tested positive and would be tested again in the future. He is not exhibiting symptoms.

“Governor Ricketts came into close contact with someone on Saturday who tested positive today for coronavirus,” said Taylor Gage, an aide to the governor. “The exposure that occurred was work-related. The Governor will complete the required seven-day quarantine. The Governor is not showing any symptoms, and will get tested at the appropriate time. The Governor will host his Friday coronavirus briefing virtually.”

Nebraska saw a surge in COVID-19 cases over the Thanksgiving season, but in recent days has seen its case numbers begin to fall. Health officials in Ricketts’s administration removed the last of the state’s capacity restrictions on businesses on Saturday, citing the declining rate. Just over 191,000 total cases have been reported across the state.

“Even though we’re in that phase we still encourage people to continue to wear masks when they’re out in public,” Ricketts said at a press conference on Friday.