Total COVID-19 cases in Nevada surpasses 50K

The number of COVID-19 cases in Nevada surged past 50,000 on Sunday as state health officials reported 1,131 new cases.

Sunday’s figures brought the total number of cases in Nevada to 50,205.

Data released by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services on Sunday showed three fewer COVID-19 deaths in Clark County than previously reported. It wasn’t clear why the deaths were subtracted, but the total number of deaths stood at 832 for the state.

The state’s revised death count comes two days after Nevada recorded a one-day record for COVID-19 deaths with 29.

The Southern Nevada Health District reported 980 new cases in Clark County and no additional deaths, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 43,147 with 688 deaths.

The health district also reported that 10 more Clark County residents were hospitalized due to COVID-19.

The state’s infection rate, which is considered a better indicator of the outbreak, continued to rise for the 25th day in a row and stood at 10.34 percent as of Sunday. The rate is calculated by dividing the number of people tested for COVID-19 with the number of positive test results statewide.

Because of the rising caseload, Gov. Steve Sisolak on Friday extended several pandemic-related emergency directives that were set to expire, including limits on the size of public gatherings and business occupancy.

Last Monday, Sisolak announced the continued closure of bars in certain Nevada counties, including Clark and Washoe.

The state is changing how it assesses trends on COVID-19 infection spread, hospitalizations and other metrics to better identify which counties “are getting progressively better or worse” and which “should tighten up or loosen mitigation efforts,” according to a statement from the governor’s office. That new assessment framework is being rolled out this week, the governor’s office said.

An advisory group of public health, hospital, business enforcement and local government representatives will assess the data to make statewide and local recommendations and suggest “increased enforcement mechanisms.”

The changes will make future policy changes more predictable for local jurisdictions, and the group will work directly with localities on enhanced enforcement, focused targeting and next steps to reduce COVID-19 spread.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0365. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.