Nevada sets daily, weekly records for coronavirus deaths

This week has seen the most recorded coronavirus deaths since the start of the pandemic, as Nevada on Saturday reported a one-day record of newly reported fatalities, according to state data.

There were 63 new fatalities recorded on Saturday, beating the previous record set Thursday, when 62 new deaths were reported, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services. It was the third time in less than two weeks that the state has set a record-high one-day increase in reported deaths.

Since Sunday, Nevada has recorded 311 deaths, the most in one week since the start of the pandemic. The previous record was set last week, when 299 deaths were reported.

There were also 2,040 new cases reported on Saturday. Updated figures from the health department’s coronavirus website brought totals in the state to 260,090 cases and 3,761 deaths.

The new cases were well above the moving 14-day average of daily reported cases, which increased from 1,701 to 1,814 on Saturday.

The moving two-week average of daily recorded deaths increased by two on Saturday, reaching 23, state data shows.

The moving average of new cases calculated by the state has been tending downward since Jan. 9, even as the state’s two-week positivity rate, which essentially tracks the percentage of people tested who are diagnosed with the disease, has been rising.

But on Saturday, the rate decreased by 0.2 percentage point, reaching 21.4 percent.

For the first time in four days, the number of people hospitalized in Nevada with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases increased, state data shows. There were 1,702 hospitalizations as of Saturday, an increase of 26 from the previous day.

Clark County alone saw 1,449 of those hospitalizations, state data shows.

Clark County on Saturday reported 1,608 new cases and 57 additional deaths, according to data from the Southern Nevada Health District. The updated figures brought totals in the county to 199,260 cases and 2,852 deaths.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.