‘Breathing room’

Hospitals seeing fewer flu cases during COVID surge

A lower than usual number of flu-related hospitalizations has helped offset the impact in rising numbers of COVID-19 patients, the trade group representing Nevada hospitals said Wednesday, but state officials remain concerned that a rise in holiday-related coronavirus infections could overwhelm the stressed health care system.

Hospitals have gained a little “breathing room” recently due to slight declines in occupancy rates, including in intensive care units, the Nevada Hospital Association said in its daily update.

“This is occurring while COVID cases are remaining within a high range and is most likely attributed to very low influenza related hospitalizations,” it said. “Currently, only eight patients (statewide) are reportedly hospitalized with flu.”

But that breathing room is diminishing, as state data posted Wednesday showed hospitalizations of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in the state rising by 59 to 1,988 over the preceding day. It was the fifth straight daily increase in the figure.

Updated figures posted by the Department of Health and Human Services also showed 2,470 new cases of COVID-19 in the state and 47 deaths from the disease. Both were well above the 14-day rolling averages of 1,654 cases and 19 deaths.

The new figures raised the state’s cumulative case total to 222,594 and pushed the death toll to 3,066.

The state’s 14-day test positivity rate, which essentially tracks the percentage of people tested who are confirmed to have the disease caused by the new coronavirus, also rebounded to 20.1 percent. The rate had been below the 20 percent threshold for more than a week before Wednesday’s report.

Gov. Steve Sisolak said at a news conference Wednesday that the state’s positivity rate is the second highest in the nation.