Las Vegas, NV (AP) - Coronavirus numbers remained high in Nevada on Friday as the state reported more than 1,000 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, at least 20 deaths and hospitalizations climbing past the 1,000 mark for the first time in more than five months, state health officials said.
The 1,003 new cases reported by the state Department of Health and Human Services nearly matched the 1,004 new cases reported on Tuesday. It was the highest since 1,070 cases were recorded Jan. 30.
The updated figures pushed totals to 349,043 COVID-19 cases and 5,817 deaths statewide since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Officials have pointed to a spike in cases since mid-May that involve the highly contagious delta variant first detected in India, and have pleaded with people to get vaccinated.
About 100 Federal Emergency Management Agency workers are partnering with local officials, state health workers, AmeriCorps and Peace Corps volunteers to staff community vaccination clinics and pop-up sites and distribute informational pamphlets to residences.
However, vaccination rates have only inched up. Nearly 56% of Nevada residents 12 years and older had
received at least one shot. Almost 47% were fully vaccinated.
Nearly 69% of eligible people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The state reported that 194 of the 202 patients being treated in intensive care units statewide were in the Las Vegas area, and more than half were on ventilators. Hospital capacity was not seen as a key concern.
Nevada’s two-week test positivity rate increased Friday for the 33rd straight day, to 12.8% statewide, and 14.1% in the Las Vegas area. The figure, which shows the percentage of people tested and found to be infected, has nearly tripled in the state from a low of 3.4% in mid-May.
The World Health Organization has a 5% or less goal before relaxing restrictions.