Nevada reports fewer than 2K new coronavirus cases, 6 deaths

Nevada public health officials on Monday reported 1,939 new coronavirus cases — the fewest in more than three weeks — and six additional deaths.

Those figures, reported by the state Department of Health and Human Services, brought statewide totals to 205,884 cases and 2,787 deaths since the outbreak began in early March.

After decreasing for 11 straight days, the state’s moving two-week positivity rate was unchanged at 19.7 percent.

The new cases fell below the state’s moving two-week average of 2,049 cases per day and was the lowest total reported in one day since Nov. 30.

Fatalities were far below the moving average of 21 deaths per day over the two-week period.

Caleb Cage, Nevada’s COVID-19 response director, said officials are attributing the recent decrease in the positivity rate to mitigation measures enacted by the governor, but warned that the upcoming holidays were likely to rekindle the outbreak.

“Unfortunately the modest reduction we are seeing now is not expected to continue as Christmas, New Year’s and other holidays in late December and early January may lead to expected surges and could overlap, resulting in a surge on top of a surge, which may exceed this large increase in rates and numbers that we are currently experiencing after Thanksgiving,” he said at a news briefing.

Julia Peek, deputy administrator of the state health department, said Nevada has probably now seen the initial wave of cases stemming directly from Thanksgiving gatherings, but added that it may continue to see a “ripple” effect as those who first became sick infect others.

“We are glad that the positivity (rate) is going down,” she said. “However, it’s still extremely high, and so folks need to remember to reduce the risk whenever possible.”

The number of hospitalizations of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients rose to 1,996, according to the state data. That was a gain of 79 from the 1,917 COVID-19 patients reported on Sunday.

Despite reporting by the Review-Journal showing that eight of Clark County’s 17 acute care hospitals reached or exceeded maximum capacity in the first half of December, the Nevada Hospital Association reported Monday that 80 percent of the staffed beds in Southern Nevada and 79 percent of beds in intensive care units were occupied.

In Clark County, 1,527 new cases were reported on Monday, bringing the county total to 155,478 cases, according to numbers posted on the Southern Nevada Health District’s coronavirus web page.

Officials reported one new death in the county on Monday, bringing the county death toll to 2,163.

The Clark County figures also are reflected in the state’s reporting.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar @reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.