Nevada’s new COVID-19 cases above average, but no deaths reported

Nevada public health officials on Monday reported 319 new coronavirus cases and no additional deaths in the state over the preceding day.

Updated numbers from the state Department of Health and Human Services pushed Nevada’s cumulative totals to 308,343 cases and 5,332 deaths. It was the second day in a row where the state has reported no deaths.

Nevada’s test positivity rate, which essentially tracks the percentage of people tested for COVID-19 who are found to be infected, remained at 5.0 percent for the second straight day.

New cases were above the two-week moving average of 224 per day. Over the same period, Nevada averaged three deaths per day.

A backlog of reported cases increased Nevada’s numbers last week, but state biostatistician Kyra Morgan said Monday that Monday’s reporting was unaffected by the glitch.

Caleb Cage, Nevada’s COVID-19 response coordinator, said the state is focused on trends, which thus far show only “very slow and minor increases” in the state’s key metrics since the state relaxed occupancy limits on March 15 to 50 percent occupancy.

“This is another reminder of why state officials focus on trends as opposed to one day of data,” he said. “Trends over time allow us to see the overall picture.”

Data guide: COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

Health officials in many rural counties do not work on weekends, which can cause lower numbers on Mondays, Cage has said.

The state is expected to turn over control of mitigation procedures to local jurisdictions on May 1.

Meanwhile, Clark County’s 14-day positivity rate reached 4.9 percent Monday, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from the previous day.

The Southern Nevada Health District also reported 237 new cases, bringing the county’s cumulative case total to 238,245.

County numbers are reflected in statewide totals.

Contact Jonah Dylan at jdylan@reviewjournal.com. Follow @TheJonahDylan on Twitter.