Nevada reports 154 new COVID-19 cases, but deaths rebound to 19
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Nevada was well below average for the second straight day, with 154 added, but deaths rebounded to 19, according to state data posted Wednesday.
Data posted by the Department of Health and Human Services on the nvhealthresponse.nv.gov website increased total cases in the state to 72,143 and raised the death toll to 1,412. Reports from local health districts and counties put the total slightly higher, at 72,314 as of Thursday night.
New cases of the disease reported by the state were well below the daily average of 353 for the preceding week, while fatalities were well above the daily average of just over 11 for the period.
The state’s cumulative infection or positivity rate — calculated by the Review-Journal by dividing confirmed cases by the number of people tested — ticked higher by 0.01 percent to 11.58 percent.
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The rate, considered a better indicator of the trend of the outbreak than daily new cases and deaths numbers, has remained flat for the past two weeks and it remains slightly lower than its recent peak of 11.62 percent on Sept. 1.
Hospitalizations of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 rose by 14 to 552, but remain far below the peak of 1,165 recorded on July 31.
Testing remained well below the daily average of nearly 7,249 over the preceding week, with 1,926 new tests reported.
Mark Pandori, director of the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory, said at a news briefing that his lab has been receiving fewer tests from testing centers despite major efforts like the testing “blitz” currently underway in Southern Nevada.
“Specimen submission has decreased over the last two weeks to the state public health lab. We don’t know why that is,” he said.
While key metrics for the disease in Nevada are trending lower, the state remains at elevated risk of transmission, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Southern Nevada Health District, meanwhile, reported 99 new COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths in Clark County over the preceding day.
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New figures posted on the health district’s coronavirus webpage pushed the case total for the county to 61,642 and raised the death toll to 1,223. The district estimates that 56,955 of those who contracted the disease have recovered.
New cases were below the 100 mark for the second straight day and less than half the daily average of 261 over the preceding week. Fatalities were well above the daily average of just over 10 for the period.
Most people who contract COVID-19 suffer only moderate to mild symptoms, or sometimes no symptoms at all. But the disease can be serious or fatal to at-risk groups, notably the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.
Contact Mike Brunker at mbrunker@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4656. Follow @mike_brunker on Twitter.