Nevada on Saturday reported 500 new cases of coronavirus and 16 additional deaths, according to state data.
The updated figures published on the Department of Health and Human Services coronavirus website raised the total in the state to 295,960 cases and 5,036 deaths.
Saturday saw the biggest increase in single-day cases in more than a week, as 571 cases were reported on February 25, according to records maintained by the Review-Journal. The new cases were also well above the 14-day moving average of cases reported daily, which fell slightly on Saturday to 261.
Deaths were also well above the two-week moving average of recorded daily deaths, which remained at seven on Saturday.
The average number of cases and deaths has been decreasing since mid-January, state data show.
State and municipal health agencies often redistribute data after reporting to better reflect the date of death or onset of symptoms, which is why the moving average trend lines often differ from daily reports and are considered better indicators of the direction of the outbreak. .
There were 79 deaths recorded this week, the lowest number in a single week since 58 reported from 8 to 14 November, according to records maintained by the Review-Journal.
The state’s two-week positivity rate, which basically tracks how many people tested are infected with the virus, dropped to 6.7 percent, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous day.
In Saturday’s update, 399 people in Nevada were hospitalized with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, six more than the previous day, according to state data. While day-to-day totals may fluctuate, hospitalizations have been declining since January, state officials said.
On Saturday, Clark County reported 409 new cases and 12 additional deaths, according to data published on the Southern Nevada Health District coronavirus website.
The cumulative totals in the county reached 228,492 cases and 3,930 deaths.
The county’s 14-day positivity rate dropped to 7.3 percent on Saturday, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous day. The index was 0.6 percentage point above the state average.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knownberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. follow @k_newberg on twitter.