65 new cases of COVID-19, 5 more deaths reported in Clark County

The Southern Nevada Health District early Tuesday reported 65 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths in Clark County, pushing the number of fatalities in the county to 106.

Separately, the state reported 117 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total caseload for Nevada to 3,088. It also reported 10 new deaths, bringing the statewide death toll from the disease to 130.

The new state figure posted on the state Department of Health and Human Services nvhealthresponse.nv.gov website was lower than the total number of cases reported by local health districts and other agencies, which stood at 3,140 as of Tuesday night.

The new Clark County cases brought the number of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 there to 2,509, up from 2,444 the previous day. The health district estimates that 1,141 of those patients have recovered from the illness.

The figures for new cases reported by the state (117) and Clark County (65) were both on the low end of recent ranges in the daily reports.

Public health experts have observed some positive signals in the number of new cases and hospitalizations in recent days but remain cautious as far as forecasting that the tide is turning. And they warn that easing measures such as Gov. Steve Sisolak’s orders closing nonessential businesses and calling for social distancing could rekindle the outbreak if they are lifted too early.

Dr. Fermin Leguen, acting chief health officer of the Southern Nevada Health District, said Tuesday at a briefing by Clark County officials that he has not yet seen evidence suggesting the disease is peaking.

“There have been a lot of questions about the trends. … At this point there is not an reliable information in terms of trends of whether the disease is going away or staying the same. What we can say is we still need to be prepared.”

The state’s new case total was derived from testing of 26,368 people and reflected an infection rate of 11.7 percent. That number is likely elevated, as those tested amid an ongoing shortage of test kits are mainly either seriously ill or have been in close contact with a diagnosed patient.

In other developments:

— The Washoe County Health District on Tuesday reported one additional death from COVID-19 and 32 confirmed cases. The deceased was a woman in her 50s with underlying health conditions, the district said. It was the 13th death in the country from the disease. The county also has reported a total of 532 confirmed cases and 92 recoveries.

— The Quad Counties Emergency Operations Center, which covers Carson City as well as Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties, on Tuesday announced six new cases of COVID-19. It said all the patients — five woman, three in their 50s, one in her 40s and one under 18, and a Douglas County man in his 30s — were all self-quarantining at home. The new cases brought the total reported in the region to 49.

— Churchill County, east of Reno, reported its first case of COVID-19 on Monday. It said the case was that of a man who may have come into contact with other residents at the Grand Slam Market in Fallon in April. The man is now hospitalized in Reno, the county said.

— Nye County reported three new COVID-19 cases in Tonopah, for a county total of 19.

— A bus driver whose route traveled the Las Vegas Strip has tested positive for COVID-19, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada reported late Monday. The driver operated a double-decker bus on the Deuce on the Strip route, and last worked the graveyard shift (2:30-10:30 a.m.) on March 31, the RTC reported. The driver is the third employee of an RTC contractor to test positive for the virus.

— Two Nevada State College students informed the administration that they have contracted COVID-19, but the college said it does not believe there is a risk of the disease spreading on campus because of the time that elapsed before they were tested. According to a statement posted to Twitter, two students told the school they had tested positive for the virus. One student tested positive April 1 and had last been on campus Feb. 10, and the other tested positive April 8 and had last been on campus March 12.

— A fourth employee at Walmart Supercenter, 3950 W. Lake Mead Blvd. in North Las Vegas, has tested positive for the coronavirus, a store source said. Management informed workers but has not disclosed the last day the infected employee worked or the employee’s department, the source said.

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