Below is the full COVID-19 report for March 8.

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Statewide reports from Nevada hospitals show dramatic improvements over the past two weeks with declining numbers of COVID-19 patients in intensive care and patients on ventilators.

Compared to reports from Feb. 23, ICU patients (55) are down by 47% and patients using ventilators (22) are down 61%.

During the pandemic, the highest number of patients in ICU (460) came on Dec. 20, 2020. The peak for patients on ventilators (312) came just two days after that, on Dec. 22, 2020.

Overall patient levels have been declining steadily since peaking on Jan. 20 during the omicron spike, when there were nearly 2,000 patients. Today’s numbers show 252 COVID-19 patients statewide, with 209 in Clark County. That decline has led to adjustments in the Nevada Hospital Association’s staffing status report, which recently dropped from “crisis” status to “alert” status.

Clark County reports 415 new COVID-19 cases in data released today, and the test positivity rate has dropped to 5.3%, drawing nearer to the World Health Organization’s goal of 5%. Nevada’s test positivity rate is at 5.8%.

Clark County’s test positivity rate hit 38.2% at the peak of the omicron variant’s peak, around Jan. 21.

Of the 31 deaths reported in Nevada, 26 came from Clark County.

A look at current COVID-19 numbers:

CLARK COUNTY

  • New cases: 415 (total: 490,136)
  • Deaths: 26 (total: 7,617)
  • Test positivity rate: 5.3% (down from 5.6% the previous day)
  • Testing: +3,707 (total: 5,195,405)
  • Hospitalizations: 209 (down 22 from the previous day)

NEVADA

  • New cases: 452 (total: 648,052)
  • Deaths: 31 (total: 9,875)
  • Test positivity rate: 5.8% (down from 6.1% the previous day)
  • Testing: +5,133 (total: 6,858,808)
  • Hospitalizations: 252 (down 26 from the previous day)

Numbers gathered from the Southern Nevada Health District and Nevada Department of Health and Human Services.

Graphics below show Clark County trends for test positivity, hospitalizations and vaccinations, as well as transmission risk for all Nevada counties. Graphics are from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services website:

BREAKTHROUGH CASES (Updated weekly)

As of March 3, the Southern Nevada Health District reports there are 483 breakthrough deaths (+38), 1,234 breakthrough hospitalizations (+72) and 68,232 breakthrough cases (+621). (Increases are compared to numbers reported on Feb. 24.) Breakthrough cases now account for more than 35% of all new COVID-19 cases.

*NOTE: Daily lab data from DHHS and SNHD reports is updated every morning for the previous day.
Deaths are not immediately reported, and daily counts often reflect deaths that occurred weeks ago.

MITIGATION MEASURES IN NEVADA

Nevada reopened to 100% capacity on June 1, 2021, and social distancing guidelines lifted, helping the state return to mostly pre-pandemic times, with some exceptions.

The CDC reversed course on July 27, saying fully vaccinated Americans in areas with “substantial and high” transmission should wear masks indoors when in public as COVID-19 cases rise. Most of Nevada falls into those two risk categories.

Nevada said it would adopt the CDC’s guidance with the new mask guideline that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 30, 2021. But Sisolak ended the statewide mask mandate on Feb. 10, even though the CDC had not changed guidance. Requirements remain in place according to federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local businesses and workplace guidance. Masks are still required on public transportation and at health care facilities.

State approval for vaccinating children 5-11 years old was given on Nov. 3, 2021, and the Southern Nevada Health District began vaccinations on Nov. 10.

On Feb. 10, 2022, Gov. Sisolak ended the state’s indoor mask mandate.

SEE ALSO: Previous day’s report