County COVID-19 metrics diverge as hospitalizations, deaths edge up

Clark County on Wednesday reported 464 new coronavirus cases and 29 additional deaths during the preceding day, as recent declines stalled for two of the four key disease metrics.

Updated figures from the Southern Nevada Health District pushed totals in the county to 319,545 cases and 5,623 fatalities since the pandemic began.

New cases in the county remained higher than the moving two-week average of daily recorded cases, but the longer-term measurement again decreased, dropping to 367 per day from 383 on Tuesday.

Fatalities were more than four times higher than the moving two-week average of daily deaths, which increased from six to seven.

The county’s two-week test positivity rate, which tracks the percentage of people tested for COVID-19 who are found to be infected, dropped another 0.1 percentage points to 7.9 percent, state data shows.

As of Wednesday’s report, there were 628 people in Clark County hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, five more than the day prior.

Data guide: COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

Across Nevada, meanwhile, there were 800 COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday and 34 additional deaths, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Cumulative totals in the state rose to 420,179 cases and 7,107 fatalities.

Clark County data is included in the state figures.

State and county health agencies often redistribute 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.

The state’s two-week moving average of daily recorded cases also declined on Wednesday, from 793 to 694. After increasing the previous day, the two-week moving average of statewide reported deaths remained unchanged at 12.

Nevada’s 14-day test positivity rate also decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 10.4 percent, 4 percentage points beneath its recent high of 16.4 percent on Aug. 13.

There were 889 people in Nevada hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, eight fewer than the day prior.

The percentage of Nevadans 12 and older who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 increased by 0.15 percentage points, reaching 55.56 percent.

In Clark County, 54.94 percent of those eligible have been vaccinated, state data shows.

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