LincolnHealth reported 36 new COVID-19 cases from 306 tests for the week of Feb. 21. The data shows the lowest amount of weekly cases since August, tests since July, and positivity rate (11.8%) since November.

“A month-by-month comparison is extremely encouraging when comparing number of tests, number of positive cases and percentage of positive cases,” said LincolnHealth’s John Martins.

The downward trend of cases and infection rate have allowed LincolnHealth to further relax visitation rules as of March 1, said Martins. Adult patients requiring hospitalization can have one visitor at a time and pediatric patients can have two at a time; adults can be accompanied by one other person and children by two at primary care offices. The same rules apply in the outpatient surgery waiting area, emergency department and St. Andrews Urgent Care Center. COVID-19 patients cannot have visitors and end-of-life care and comfort care is managed by care teams. All visitors must be masked and pass self-screening.

“All the data we are seeing indicate the Omicron surge has passed,’’ said LincolnHealth President Cindy Wade. “We are thrilled to open up visitation in the hospital and outpatient settings, and we are hopeful that we’ll have more empty hospital beds available soon so we can schedule more patients awaiting non-emergent surgery. We appreciate the understanding of our patients and the continued support of our communities.”

Martins said LincolnHealth continues to recommend boosters which have proven to significantly reduce serious illness in COVID-19 cases requiring hospitalization.