Nevada’s new COVID-19 cases, deaths stay high, but positivity rate dips

Nevada recorded 528 new coronavirus cases and 12 additional deaths over the preceding day, but registered its first drop in the testing positivity rate in nearly three weeks, according to state data posted Thursday.

Updated figures posted to the Department of Health and Human Services’ coronavirus website brought totals in the state to 312,278 cases and 5,400 deaths.

The new cases reported on Thursday were well above the 14-day moving average of daily reported cases, which rose slightly to 271. Deaths were also well above the moving two-week average of three deaths per day.

All of the deaths reported Thursday occurred in Clark County, according to data from the Southern Nevada Health District’s coronavirus website.

After remaining stagnant in the early part of the week, the state’s two-week positivity rate, which essentially tracks the percentage of people tested for COVID-19 who are found to be infected, decreased by 0.1 percentage points, to 5.8 percent.

Clark County’s positivity rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points, falling to 5.5 percent.

Data guide: COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

Prior to Thursday, the rate had been steadily increasing after reaching a low of 4.2 percent in late March that continued until April 2. State officials have said the rate was expected to increase as people who got tested for the virus were vaccinated, resulting in fewer people being tested and usually because they were exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or had been exposed to the disease.

There were 348 people in Nevada hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases as of Thursday’s report, 13 more than the previous day, state data shows.

Although state disease metrics decreased from mid-January through late March, they have been trending slightly higher in recent weeks. State officials have said the increase is “not necessarily unexpected or cause for concern” following the loosening of some health restrictions, such as capacity limits.

State and county health agencies often redistribute the daily data after it is reported to better reflect the date of death or onset of symptoms, which is why the moving-average trend lines frequently differ from daily reports and are considered better indicators of the direction of the outbreak.

Clark County on Thursday reported 444 new coronavirus cases, according to the county health district.

Cumulative totals in Clark County rose to 241,353 cases and 4,239 deaths.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.