Nevada reports 635 new COVID cases; 9 counties see high transmission

Nevada reported 635 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday and three additional deaths, increasing the cumulative number of cases in the state to 102,114 and total fatalities to 1,784.

Cases in the state have been trending upward since mid-September, with the test positivity rate climbing from 6.5 percent to 11 percent, according to the state, which calculates the rate as a 14-day average. Deaths, a disease indicator that lags a month or more behind new cases, have been trending downward since mid-August.

Hospitalizations, another lagging indicator, began to trend upward in early October.

“Nevada continues to see a resurgence in COVID-19,” the Nevada Hospital Association stated on its website Monday.

Suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients make up 14 percent of hospital patients statewide and 18 percent of ICU patients.

The hospital occupancy rate in the state from all causes is 72 percent, compared with 67 percent nationwide. ICU occupancy in Nevada is at 60 percent, compared with 70 percent nationwide.

“Nevada’s healthcare infrastructure remains in good condition with some individual facilities experiencing higher occupancy rates,” the hospital association said.

Data guide: Follow COVID-19’s impact on Nevada

Northern Nevada is experiencing a sharp increase in hospitalizations and intensive care admissions, setting records in recent days, according to the association.

For the sixth consecutive week, the state flagged Washoe County, the most populous in Northern Nevada, for elevated transmission of COVID-19. As a result of ongoing high levels of transmission, a state COVID-19 mitigation task force last week approved an indefinite extension to a Washoe County directive that limits the size of most public gatherings to 50 people or less — a threshold much lower than allowed elsewhere in Nevada.

On Monday, the state flagged Lyon County for the fourth straight week. Clark, Elko and Lincoln counties were flagged for the third straight week. Carson City, Humboldt and Nye counties were flagged for the second consecutive week. Douglas County was flagged for the first week. All of these counties were flagged as a result of having high numbers of new cases per capita and high positivity rates.

Meanwhile, the Southern Nevada Health District reported 453 new cases and one additional death, bringing the cumulative number of cases in Clark County to 83,419 and total deaths to 1,517.

Contact Mary Hynes at mhynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 on Twitter.