Nevada’s new COVID-19 cases, deaths rebound after technical glitch

CARSON CITY — Nevada’s daily coronavirus case count rebounded as expected Wednesday following an artificially low report the previous day caused by a technical glitch.

Figures from the state Department of Health and Human Services showed 2,988 new cases and 46 additional deaths over the preceding day. That brought statewide totals to 209,962 cases and 2,871 deaths since the outbreak began at the start of March.

Figures posted Tuesday by the state reflected an undercount resulting from a data reporting problem in Clark County. With those numbers corrected Wednesday, the state’s daily counts were inflated, though it was not clear by how much.

On its face, Wednesday’s data would be among five highest daily case and death increases reported to date, all of them in December.

Data guide: COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

The data also showed the state’s moving two-week positivity rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point, to 19.7 percent, over the preceding day.

The state’s two-week rolling averages on new tests, cases and deaths all were slightly lower, likely due to Tuesday’s depressed figures.

Hospitalizations of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients were up slightly, to 2,001, according to the state data.

In a news briefing on Wednesday, Caleb Cage, the state’s COVID-19 response director, cited Nevada Hospital Association reports as showing Nevada’s continuous cases increases “have now been arrested for approximately 10 days” in the wake of a post-Thanksgiving surge. The effects of any increased infections and hospitalizations as a result of holiday family gatherings “has been fully realized,” he added.

That said, hospitals throughout the state remain at or near capacity, underscoring “the importance of remaining diligent and supporting stay-at-home initiatives during the upcoming holidays so that facilities do not get overwhelmed early in the next year,” Cage said, quoting the NHA guidance.

Gov. Steve Sisolak, in a pre-Christmas message posted online, also urged Nevadans to be vigilant and cautious with their plans to gather for the holiday. Instead, he said, they should consider virtual visits, gathering only with household members or limited interactions of no more than 10 people from two households, along with dutiful mask wearing and social distancing.

“I ask you to consider the nurses, doctors, and first responders who will be working shifts on Christmas to keep us safe. The actions we take will impact them directly,” he said. “Hospitals are crowded and health-care workers are asking for our help. Let’s make safe choices to protect them and show them we have their backs.”

To date the state has conducted 1.98 million tests involving 1.12 million people. Nevada potentially will surpass the 2 million mark in tests on Thursday.

No sign of UK COVID-19 strain

Also at Wednesday’s news briefing, Dr. Mark Pandori, director of the state public health laboratory, said no cases of a potentially more virulent strain of COVID-19 reported in the United Kingdom this week have been detected in Nevada. He also said current vaccines would likely be effective against the new strain.

Through Tuesday, more than 16,000 COVID-19 vaccinations using both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been administered to health-care workers in the state, said Candice McDaniel, health bureau chief in the state Bureau of Child, Family and Community Wellness. Nevada has received 31,200 doses of the Pfizer vaccine so far. The Moderna vaccine began arriving Monday, and the state expects to receive 50,300 doses in its first allocation.

The state is revising its vaccination rollout plan to reflect the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent recommendations on prioritized delivery, incorporating those who are 75 years and older into the Tier Two distribution, McDaniel said.

Meanwhile, Nellis Air Force base reported administering its first round of COVID-19 vaccinations Wednesday, using doses acquired through a Department of Defense allocation. The base is giving initial priority to emergency first responders, mission-essential personnel, deploying forces and individuals with serious illnesses.

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