Nevada reports 60 deaths from COVID-19 — a record one-day toll

Nevada recorded 60 deaths from the coronavirus Wednesday, the highest one-day toll since the pandemic arrived in the state 10 months ago, according to state data.

The new fatalities as well as 1,938 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, were posted to the Department of Health and Human Services’ coronavirus website.

The previous one-day record for fatalities was the 59 reported on Dec. 31.

The state’s 14-day moving average of daily reported deaths rose by one in Wednesday’s update, reaching 17.

New cases were significantly higher than the two-week rolling average of daily cases, which decreased to 1,570, according to the state data.

The updated figures brought totals in the state to 237,393 cases and 3,295 deaths.

The state’s two-week positivity rate, which essentially tracks the percentage of people tested who are confirmed to have COVID-19, was unchanged at 20.2 percent.

It was unclear Wednesday if the Christmas and New Year’s Eve holidays have started to affect the data. Gov. Steve Sisolak’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Hospitalizations of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients increased by 52 to 1,919.

Data from the Nevada Hospital Association showed 72 percent of all state intensive care beds were occupied and that 39 percent of all ICU patients were hospitalized for COVID-19.

Southern Nevada was continuing to see higher demand, with 78 percent of all ICU beds occupied, according to the association. About 44 percent of all intensive care patients in Southern Nevada were hospitalized for suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

In Clark County, there were 1,687 new cases reported on Wednesday, along with 47 new deaths, according to state data. The updated figures brought totals in the county to 180,524 cases and 2,496 deaths.

The state laboratory has been monitoring for the presence of coronavirus variants, specifically a more-contagious variant first detected in the United Kingdom in September, which has since spread to several states. So far, lab director Mark Pandori said during a briefing for reporters, 400 positive samples collected between Dec. 19 and Dec. 30 have not detected the variant.

The variant, and a similar strain found in South Africa, spread more easily and quickly but do not appear to be more deadly or cause more severe illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In another development Wednesday, authorities in Mohave County, Arizona, said the county jail in Kingman was experiencing a “COVID outbreak.”

Capt. Don Bischoff of the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said testing this week found that all 18 inmates in one housing unit were shown to be infected. They were moved to two different housing units and placed under quarantine.

Since May, the detention center has had 40 inmates and 11 staffers test positive. More than 1,100 inmates have been tested, Bischoff said.

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. Review-Journal staff writer Glenn Puit contributed to this report.