2 Nevada counties downgraded for COVID-19 risk; Clark still high risk

CARSON CITY — Two of eight Nevada counties previously flagged for elevated risk of COVID-19 spread have been downgraded following a review of data and mitigation plans with state officials.

The two counties, Carson City and Lincoln, no longer hit two or more of the state’s benchmarks for higher risk and will stay at current mitigation measures based on the improvement in the county data. They were among eight counties whose higher risk factors required them to submit mitigation plans to the state’s COVID-19 task force.

The other six counties whose plans were reviewed — Clark, Elko, Humboldt, Lander, Nye and Washoe — will retain their current restrictions. In Clark, Elko, Nye and Washoe counties, those restrictions include the closure of bars, pubs, taverns, breweries, distilleries and wineries. Their risk factors and mitigation plans will be reviewed again Aug. 20.

No new counties were added to the elevated risk list.

Under the state’s criteria, a county is considered at elevated risk if it meets two of three conditions based on per capita population: average number of daily tests, case rate, and positivity rate. A county could be flagged if its daily average testing per 100,000 residents is below 150, its case rate is above 200 per 100,000, or its case rate is more than 50 per 100,000 but its positive test rate is 7 percent or above.

For example: According to the state’s weekly data, Clark has a 14-day daily testing average of 240.5 per 100,000, a case rate of 888 per 100,000 over the last 30 days, and a 14-day average positive test rate of 15.5 percent. The numbers in the latter two measures put it in the high-risk category.

Currently, Elko, Humboldt and Nye counties hit high-risk levels in all three categories. Lander and Washoe, like Clark, exceed the high risk mark in two of three.

Also Friday, Gov. Steve Sisolak formalized the state’s move to the long-term mitigation strategy that includes the three-benchmark criteria for elevated risk. The targeted plan relies on state and local data and assessments catered to the needs of specific communities. The directive also sets up the COVID-19 Mitigation and Management Task Force and authorizes it to work with local governments and take action on county-specific mitigation plans.

Contact Capital Bureau reporter Bill Dentzer at bdentzer@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DentzerNews on Twitter.

COVID-19 County Tracker by Las Vegas Review-Journal on Scribd