Nevada reports 897 new coronavirus cases, 39 additional deaths

Nevada on Friday reported 897 new coronavirus cases and 39 additional deaths, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The updated figures posted to the state’s coronavirus website brought cumulative totals to 282,493 cases and 4,463 deaths. Friday was the sixth straight day that fewer than 1,000 new cases have been reported, according to records kept by the Review-Journal.

The new cases were slightly higher than the moving 14-day average of daily recorded cases, which dropped to 812 on Friday.

Data guide: COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

The state’s positivity rate, which essentially tracks the percentage of people tested who are found to have the disease, also has been decreasing. The 14-day moving daily average has dropped from a recent high of 21.7 percent on Jan. 13 to 16.3 percent on Friday, a 0.2-percentage-point decrease from the previous day.

However, the fatalities recorded Friday were still well above the moving 14-day average of daily recorded deaths, which remained at 17. Deaths from COVID-19 typically occur five or more weeks after the onset of symptoms, so state officials have said they expect the moving average to trend lower in the weeks ahead.

As of Friday, there were 1,072 people in Nevada hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, which is 49 fewer than the previous day, according to state data.

Data can fluctuate day by day, but state officials have reported that hospitalization totals have decreased in recent weeks, especially in the North.

During Friday’s COVID-19 response meeting, state officials again warned people to follow health guidelines if they planned to watch the Super Bowl this weekend.

“As you know, gathering virtually or with people you live with is the safest way to celebrate the Super Bowl this year,” said Julia Peek, deputy administrator for the Department of Health and Human Services. “If you do have a small gathering with people who don’t live with you, outdoors is safer than indoors, and ensure that you remain masked and social distance from one another.”

Clark County on Friday recorded 704 new cases and 32 additional deaths, according to the Southern Nevada Health District’s coronavirus website. The updated figures brought cumulative totals in the county to 217,521 cases and 3,430 deaths.

A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the cumulative total of deaths in Clark County.

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