Nevada adds 351 COVID-19 cases, 27 deaths; positivity rate unchanged

Nevada recorded 351 new cases of COVID-19 and 27 deaths from the disease over the preceding day, according to state data posted Thursday.

Data collected by the Department of Health and Human Services and posted on the state’s nvhealthresponse.nv.gov website pushed total cases reported in the state to 70,223, while the fatalities raised the death toll to 1,363. Reports from local heath districts and counties placed the case total slightly higher, at 70,315 as of Thursday evening.

New cases reported by the state were well below the daily average of 458 over the preceding week, while deaths were more than twice the daily average of just over 12 for the period.

The state’s cumulative infection or positivity rate remained unchanged from the previous day at 11.61 percent — the first time it has not risen over two consecutive days since mid-June.

The rate, considered a better indicator of the trend of the outbreak than the daily new cases and deaths figures, had been rising steadily since bottoming out at 5.20 percent on June 17 before registering a 0.01 decline in Wednesday’s report.

But Gov. Steve Sisolak noted at a news conference Thursday in Las Vegas that Nevada is one of just 11 states where the rate remains above 10 percent.

The number of hospitalized patients with confirmed or suspected cases of the disease caused by the new coronavirus declined by 44 to 631. The figure has declined by nearly 46 percent since peaking at 1,165 on July 31.

Testing for COVID-19 rebounded from Wednesday’s report, with 5,774 tests recorded. The state says 604,692 people have now been tested, or slightly less than 20 percent of the state’s estimated 2020 population of 3.16 million.

Interactive: Tracking the coronavirus’ impact on Nevada through data

The Southern Nevada Health District, meanwhile, reported 287 new COVID-19 cases and 24 additional deaths in Clark County over the preceding day.

Data posted on the district’s coronavirus web page brought the case total for the county to 60,144, while the fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,181. The district estimates that 54,843 of those who contracted the disease have recovered.

Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Clark County

New cases were well below the daily average of nearly 368 for the preceding week, while deaths were double the daily average of 12 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.