Nevada’s COVID-19 metrics remain high with 2.8K new cases, 55 deaths

Nevada on Friday reported 2,866 new coronavirus cases and 55 additional deaths over the preceding day, both well above daily averages over the preceding two weeks, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

The updated figures posted to the state’s coronavirus website brought totals to 243,661 cases and 3,394 deaths.

Fatalities were the fourth-highest single-day increase in the state, the data show. The record of 60 fatalities in a day was reported Wednesday.

The 14-day moving average of daily reported deaths calculated by the state increased by one on Friday, reaching 19.

New cases also were well above the two-week moving average of daily recorded cases, which increased to 1,721 on Friday.

Caleb Cage, director of Nevada’s COVID-19 response, said at a briefing for reporters on Friday that while New Year’s Eve parties are not yet being reflected in the data, infections from some earlier holidays likely are beginning to show up in the new cases figures.

“What we’re experiencing now may be the result of some of those mid- to late-December holidays,” he said.

Meanwhile, the state’s two-week positivity rate, which essentially tracks the percentage of people tested who are confirmed to have COVID-19, increased by 0.1 percentage points, to 20.7 percent, according to the data.

The number of people hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases decreased by 44 on Friday, reaching 1,874.

Clark County, meanwhile, reported 2,382 additional cases and 42 new deaths, according to data from the Southern Nevada Health District’s coronavirus website. The updated figures brought totals in the county to 185,829 cases and 2,566 deaths.

Those figures are reflected in the state reporting.

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.