Reno, NV (AP) - Nevada’s COVID-19 positivity test rate is continuing a two week-long decline statewide but has reached its highest level since December in Washoe County, where new daily cases and deaths continue to rise, health officials said Wednesday.
Thirty new deaths have been reported so far in August in the Reno-Sparks area, compared to five each in the months of June and July, Washoe County Health District Officer Kevin Dick said.
Demand for testing also has exploded there and district officials can’t keep up with contact tracing, he said.
Statewide, the latest 14-day average for the positivity rate stands at 14.1%, down from 16.4% on Aug. 13 after a steep climb from as low as 3.3% in early June. The positivity rate for Clark County and Las Vegas has dropped from 16.9% on Aug. 7 to 13.2% as of Tuesday.
But in Washoe County, the 18.9% positivity rate reported Wednesday was the highest since 20% on Dec. 20. It had remained below the 5% level recommended by the World Health Organization from early May through early July but has been on a steep rise ever since.
Statewide, Nevada’s positivity rate peaked Jan. 15 at 21%.