COVID-19 live updates: Washoe County reports 55 new cases, 3 deaths

Brett McGinness Jason Hidalgo
Reno Gazette Journal

This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day Wednesday, August 12. This story is part of the Reno Gazette Journal’s essential COVID-19 coverage and is being provided for free. Please consider subscribing to the RGJ to support our work.

Washoe reports 55 new cases, 3 deaths due to COVID-19

4:13 P.M.

Washoe County reported 55 new cases and three deaths related to COVID-19 in Washoe County over the past day, according to the Regional Information Center.

The three coronavirus-related fatalities included a man in his 90s with an underlying health condition. Two other men, one in his 40s and one in his 70s, are under investigation to determine if they had underlying heatlh conditions. In total, 124 county residents have died of COVID-19.

Just 373 tests were reported over the past day, the lowest figure in seven days. The seven-day positive test rate fell to 6.6%. 

The total of 1,056 active cases is a drop of 26 cases since Tuesday's data, and is the lowest number of identified cases in Washoe County since July 2. So far, 5,962 county residents, or about 1 in 79 people, have been diagnosed with the coronavirus since the local outbreak began March 10.

Seventy-nine COVID-19 patients reported recoveries over the past day. To date, 4,782 Washoe residents have reported recoveries from the coronavirus. Overall, 80.2% of Washoe residents who had caught the coronavirus have reported recovering, the first time the figure has topped 80%.

More:WCSD says no principal has told the district schools aren't ready to open

Seventy-nine people are hospitalized with COVID-19, the lowest figure since July 27. Sixty-three percent of short-term, acute-care hospital beds are occupied, up 2 percentage points from Tuesday. Forty-three percent of all ICU beds are occupied, up 6 percentage points. Thirteen percent of ventilators are in use, up 3 percentage points.

Other data released Wednesday include:

  • Total number of cases in Washoe County to date: 5,962, up 55 from Tuesday
  • Cases who have discharged from hospital: 447 (up 16)
  • Total number of COVID-19 tests performed in Washoe County: 96,637, up by 373

Nevada reaches 58,000 total confirmed COVID-19 cases, deaths at just under 1,000

Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.

Nevada just passed 58,000 total confirmed cases for COVID-19.

The state announced 528 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases for the virus in Nevada to 58,048 as of Aug. 11.

The state’s total death toll also rose to 996 as 15 more deaths were reported.

The bulk of Nevada’s COVID-19 infections were seen in Clark County, which just passed the 50,000 mark for confirmed cases of the virus. The southern county also accounted for the highest incidence rate for COVID-19 in the state, at 2,160 cases per 100,000 people.

Washoe County was next with just over 5,900 cases and an incidence rate of 1,235 per 100,000 people. The incidence rate is a key issue in Washoe, which is seeing a robust debate about school openings.

The daily positivity rate, which indicates how many tests returned positive, fell to 12.7% while the seven-day average ticked up to 13.4%. The World Health Organization recommends a positivity rate of 5% or less for 14 straight days prior to any reopening efforts.

Here is a rundown of the latest numbers from the state:

  • Total tests: 717,306, up by 4,687.
  • Confirmed cases: 58,048, up by 528
  • Deaths: 996, up by 15
  • Number of hospitalizations for confirmed cases: 793, down by one individual. 
  • Hospitalizations from suspected cases: 205, up by 28 people.
  • ICU hospitalizations: 268, up by 11.
  • Testing rate: Up slightly at 13.9 per 1,000 people per week.

Washoe reports lowest number of active cases in three weeks

Tuesday

Washoe County reported 72 new cases, 90 recoveries and one death related to COVID-19 in Washoe County over the past day, according to the Regional Information Center.

The death was that of a woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions. Her death was the 121st in Washoe County since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.

The 72 new cases were discovered via 507 tests administered over the past day, for a single-day positive test rate of 14.2% in Washoe County. The seven-day positive test rate rose to 7.1%. The total of 1,082 active cases is a drop of 18 cases since Monday's data, and is the lowest number of cases in Washoe County in three weeks.

To date, 4,704 Washoe residents have reported recoveries from the coronavirus. Overall, 79.6% of Washoe residents who had caught the coronavirus have reported recovering, a new high since the outbreak began.

More:WCSD says no principal has told the district schools aren't ready to open

Eighty-seven people are hospitalized with COVID-19. Sixty-one percent of short-term, acute-care hospital beds are occupied, up 1 percentage points from Friday. Thirty-seven percent of all ICU beds are occupied, up 7 percentage points. Ten percent of ventilators are in use, down 1 percent from Friday.

Other data released Tuesday include:

  • 87 people hospitalized with COVID-19, up one from Monday
  • 61 % of short-term, acute-care hospital beds occupied, up 1 percentage point
  • 37% of all ICU beds occupied, up 5 percentage points
  • 10% of ventilators in use, down 1 percentage point
  • Cases who have discharged from hospital: 431 (up 1)
  • Total number of COVID-19 tests performed in Washoe County: 96,264, up by 507

Nevada reports 18 more COVID-19 deaths Tuesday, one of the highest daily totals seen to date

Nevada reported 18 more deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, one of the highest daily tallies recorded since the start of the pandemic.

The latest fatalities bring the total number of deaths from the virus to 981 as of Aug. 10. Not all deaths reported by the state in its daily update occur on the same day. The highest number of deaths recorded by the state in one day was 19 back in July 29.

The state also added 548 more confirmed cases, bringing Nevada’s total case count up to 57,520 since the pandemic started. 

The pace for daily testing, meanwhile, continued to fall after peaking at 16,369 on Aug. 5. Testing fell to 4,158, the fifth straight day of declines. Last week, Gov. Steve Sisolak announced the extension of National Guard deployment through the end of the year to help with the state’s emergency response, which includes testing.

Clark County still accounts for more than 86% of all confirmed cases in Nevada as well as the highest incidence rate in the state at almost 2,142 cases per 100,000 people. Total deaths in Clark are at 828 since the start of the pandemic.

Washoe County is next with 5,835 total confirmed cases and an incidence rate of 1,220 per 100,000 people. Washoe has also seen 120 total deaths from the virus since the start of the pandemic.

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Carson City is at 357 total cases and eight deaths. Its incidence rate is at 631 per 100,000 people.

The state’s daily county numbers can differ from those released by individual states. Numbers from the Washoe County Health District typically become available in the afternoon.

The daily positivity rate, which tracks the percentage of tests that return a positive result for COVID-19, rose to 13.3%, up by more than a percentage point and a half. The seven-day average fell slightly to 13.2%. The World Health Organization typically recommends a positivity rate of 5% or below for 14 straight days prior to reopening.

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers for Nevada:

  • Total tests: 712,619, up by 4,158.
  • Confirmed cases: 57,520, up by 548
  • Deaths: 981, up by 18
  • Number of hospitalizations for confirmed cases: 794, down by nine people. 
  • Hospitalizations from suspected cases: 177, down by 34 people.
  • ICU hospitalizations: 257, down by nine.
  • Testing rate: Down slightly at 13.7 per 1,000 people per week.

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