Nevada’s COVID-19 positivity rate falls to 6.0%

Nevada on Wednesday reported 325 new coronavirus cases and 13 additional deaths.

Updated figures posted by the Department of Health and Human Services on the state’s coronavirus website brought cumulative totals to 297,147 cases and 5,067 deaths.

New cases were well above the moving 14-day average of 237 daily reported cases for the second day in a row. The moving two-week average for daily reported fatalities remained at five, far below the new deaths reported for the day.

All of the deaths reported on Wednesday occurred in Clark County, according to data from the Southern Nevada Health District.

While both new cases and deaths were above average for the day, those and other COVID-19 metrics monitored by state public health officials have been steadily declining since at least mid-January, state data shows.

Data guide: COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

State and county health agencies often redistribute 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 14-day positivity rate, which essentially tracks how many people tested are infected with the virus, dropped to 6 percent, a 0.3 percentage-point decrease from the prior day’s report.

There were 367 people in Nevada hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, 28 fewer than the day prior, according to state data. Hospitalizations have been falling since they peaked at 2,126 on Dec. 22.

On Wednesday, state COVID-19 response director Caleb Cage emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated to slow the spread of the virus, especially as those 65 and older are eligible in all Nevada counties.

“This age group is really important to get vaccinated, so please help a friend, a neighbor, a parent or a loved one get connected to vaccines in their area,” Cage said during a call with reporters.

Meanwhile in Clark County, there were 259 new cases reported over the preceding day, according to the county health district’s coronavirus website.

Cumulative totals in the county rose to 229,415 cases and 3,960 deaths.

The county’s 14-day positivity rate dropped to 6.4 percent on Wednesday, a 0.4-percentage-point decrease from the day prior.

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