Nevada’s positivity rate for COVID-19 registers biggest dip since June

Nevada recorded 260 new cases of COVID-19 and 10 deaths over the preceding day, as the state’s positivity rate registered its biggest decline in nearly three months, according to state data posted Friday.

Figures from the Department of Health and Human Services posted on its nvhealthresponse.nv.gov website increased the state case total to 72,806 and the death toll from the disease caused by the new coronavirus to 1,439.

New cases were were well below the daily average of nearly 332 over the preceding week, while fatalities were slightly above the daily average of just over nine for the period.

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The state’s cumulative infection or positivity rate, considered a better indicator of the trend of the outbreak than daily case and death numbers, declined by 0.07 percent to 11.51 percent. It was the biggest one-day decline since the rate dipped by 0.10 percent on June 15.

The rate, calculated by the Review-Journal as confirmed cases divided by the number of people tested in the state, topped out at 12.20 percent on April 25 during the first surge of COVID-19 cases, then steadily declined to 5.20 percent on June 17, when it started to rise again. It climbed steadily again before flattening out in late August and now has started to inch lower again.

Friday’s rate was 0.12 percent lower than the recent high of 11.63 recorded a week ago.

The number of hospitalizations of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 continued its recent steep declines, with 43 fewer beds occupied for a total of 476. Hospitalization numbers have declined nearly 60 percent since reaching a high of 1,165 on July 31.

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The Southern Nevada Health District, meanwhile, reported 186 new COVID-19 cases and four additional deaths in Clark County.

Data posted on the district’s coronavirus web page raised the county case total to 62,057 while the fatalities raised the death toll to 1,244.

New cases in the county were well below the daily average of nearly 247 for the preceding week, while the added fatalities were less than half the daily average of more than eight for the period.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Contact Mike Brunker at mbrunker@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4656. Follow @mike_brunker on Twitter.