Nevada reports 31 COVID deaths as new cases top 14-day average

Nevada on Thursday reported 488 new coronavirus cases and 31 additional deaths over the preceding day.

Updated figures from the Department of Health and Human Services posted to the state’s coronavirus website brought cumulative totals to 289,880 cases and 4,805 deaths.

The new cases on Thursday were slightly above the moving 14-day average of daily reported cases, which dropped to 437. The rate has been steadily declining since mid-January, state data shows.

The 31 reported deaths were well above the moving 14-day average of daily recorded fatalities, which stood at 13.

Data guide: COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

Both the state and county health agencies redistribute data after it is reported to better reflect the date of someone’s death or onset of symptoms, therefore the moving-average trendlines often differ from daily reports. Because of this redistribution, the 14-day average for deaths has been steadily decreasing since it peaked at 39 in mid-January, according to the state data.

The state’s two-week positivity rate, which measures the percentage of people tested who are confirmed to have COVID-19, dropped to 11.3 percent, a 0.5-percentage-point decrease from the day prior.

There were 698 people in Nevada hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, 42 fewer than the day prior, the state data showed.

Clark County on Thursday reported 424 new coronavirus cases and 28 additional deaths, according to data posted to the Southern Nevada Health District’s website. The updated figures brought totals in the county to 223,624 cases and 3,724 deaths.

The county’s two-week positivity rate declined by 0.5 percentage points, reaching 12.5 percent, state data shows. The rate remained 1.2 percentage points higher than for the state as a whole.

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