554 new COVID-19 cases, 21 deaths reported in Nevada

Nevada recorded 554 new cases of COVID-19 and 21 additional deaths over the preceding day, according to data posted by the state on Thursday.

The Department of Health and Human Services posted the new figures on its nvhealthresponse.nv.gov website, bringing the case total for the state to 67,220 and boosting the death toll to 1,271. Reports from local health districts and counties put the case total somewhat higher, at 67,299 as of Thursday evening.

New cases reported by the state rebounded from the 253 cases reported Wednesday — the lowest daily increase in more than two months — and were slightly above the daily average of nearly 520 over the preceding week.

Fatalities also were slightly above the daily average of nearly 17 for the period.

The agency said the number of hospitalizations of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients declined by 34 over the preceding day, dipping to 727. That is the lowest number of hospitalized since July 2, when the state reported 704 people were occupying hospital beds because of the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

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The state infection or positivity rate, considered a better bellwether of the trend of the outbreak than daily new cases and deaths figures, edged slightly higher, to 11.51 percent.

The rate — confirmed cases divided by the number of people tested — has climbed steadily since bottoming out at 5.20 percent on June 17 and is now nearing its high of 12.20 reported on April 25.

The volume of COVID-19 testing, which can impact the positivity rate, increased by more than 2,300 from the preceding day to a total of 5,742, but that was still well below the daily average of 7,699 over the preceding week.

The Southern Nevada Health District, meanwhile, reported 473 new COVID-19 cases and 21 additional deaths in Clark County over the preceding day.

The data posted on the district’s coronavirus web page raised the case total for the county to 57,756 and hiked the death toll to 1,099.

New cases were higher than the daily average of just over 410 for the preceding week, while fatalities were above the daily overage of nearly 16 for the period.

The Clark County figures are generally reflected in the state totals, but there are occasional discrepancies due to reporting issues.

Both the health district and the state redistribute cases, deaths and other data after their daily updates, so the totals posted daily generally don’t match the numbers used in the detailed breakdowns they produce.

Most people who contract COVID-19 suffer mild to moderate symptoms and some experience no symptoms at all. The elderly and people with underlying health issues are most at risk of serious complications — and even death — from the disease.

Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Clark County

In other developments Thursday:

— UNLV reported two students had informed the university of positive COVID-19 tests since classes resumed on Monday. Both students were on campus as recently as Tuesday, it said.

— The state DHSS reported that at least 530 visitors had tested positive for the novel coronavirus as of Aug. 15, either while in the state or soon after returning home. The data dates back to June 1, just days before casinos began reopening on June 4.

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.