Nevada adds 399 COVID-19 cases, 9 deaths; positivity rate dips again

Nevada on Friday reported 399 new coronavirus cases and nine additional deaths over the preceding day.

Updated data from the Department of Health and Human Services posted on the state’s coronavirus website brought totals to 293,029 cases and 4,942 deaths in Nevada.

Friday was the fourth day in a row that the reported new cases of COVID-19 were above the moving 14-day average of daily recorded cases, which was 314 as of Friday’s update, according to the state data. Despite that, the 14-day average has been trending downward since mid-January.

The two-week moving average of deaths has also been moving lower over the same time frame, although daily reports are usually higher than the average. The fatalities reported Friday were an exception, being below the 14-day moving average of 10 deaths a day, the data show.

Data guide: COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

Both the state and county health agencies often redistribute data after it is reported to better reflect the date of death or onset of symptoms, which is why the moving-average trend lines frequently differ from daily reports and are considered better indicators of the direction of the outbreak.

The state’s two-week positivity rate, which essentially tracks the percentage of people tested for COVID-19 who are found to be infected, decreased by 0.3 percentage points on Friday, reaching 8.3 percent. That is the lowest it has been since Oct. 19, when it stood at 8.2 percent.

There are 509 people in Nevada hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, which is 23 fewer than the day prior, according to state data. Hospitalizations have also been trending downward in recent weeks, Caleb Cage, the state’s COVID-19 response director, said during a call with reporters on Friday.

State officials on Friday also expressed optimism over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, after an analysis released by U.S. regulators on Wednesday showed it offers strong protection against severe COVID-19 cases. U.S. health advisers on Friday also endorsed the single-dose vaccine.

It’s unclear when Nevada could start receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, state officials said Friday.

“Just generally speaking, it’s incredibly encouraging to have an additional product … (and) an additional allocation then what we’ve been receiving,” said state vaccine official Candice McDaniel.

Clark County, meanwhile, reported 300 new cases and eight additional deaths on Friday, according to data posted to the Southern Nevada Health District’s coronavirus website.

Cumulative totals in the county increased to 226,120 cases and 3,847 deaths.

The county’s 14-day test positivity rate dropped to 9.3 percent, a percentage point higher than the state average.

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