Novel Coronavirus In Nevada: Tuesday, December 22, 2020
6:55 p.m. | December 22, 2020
‘It’s All About Our Individual Behavior For The Month Of January,’ Health Officials Warn
By Lucia Starbuck
Some frontline personnel received their first dose of the Modera COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, including staff with REMSA and members of the Nevada National Guard who have been a part of the state’s COVID-19 response. But officials argue we won’t see an impact on the current cases until much later.
Statewide, 76% of adult ICU beds are occupied. And that’s a cause for concern in Washoe County, where about half of the ICU beds are occupied by patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
That’s a sharp increase from mid-September.
Dr. John Hess, with Saint Mary’s Medical Center, said hospitals are struggling, in part, because it takes patients longer to recuperate from COVID-19 than it does other illnesses. “If you compare it to people who are hospitalized for the flu, for instance, typically a COVID patient is in the hospital twice as long as a flu patient,” Hess said.
Hess is also concerned news of the vaccine will lull people into a false sense of security. He said it likely won’t make much of an impact until it’s more widely distributed. “It’s all about our individual behavior for the month of January,” Hess said.
Over the last 14 days, nearly 2,000 new daily new cases have been reported on average statewide. Nevada’s test positivity rate also remains high — almost 20%. However, that’s dropped by about two percent in recent weeks.
There were 38 deaths due to the virus reported statewide with an average of 20 deaths reported daily.
The Washoe County Health District reported 259 additional cases and six deaths on Tuesday. In all, 425 people in Washoe have died from COVID-19 with more than a third of those deaths reported this month.
Lucia Starbuck is a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.
4:34 p.m. | December 22, 2020
El Dorado County Releases Warning Over COVID-19 Vaccination Scams
By Jayden Perez
Officials are warning the public about COVID-19 vaccination scams. It is unclear as to whether any scams have been reported, but law enforcement says residents should remain vigilant.
According to officials, no one can pay for early access to the vaccine and that the Health Department will NOT be contacting the public about vaccination opportunities.
Residents are asked to contact law enforcement if they receive any suspicious offers regarding COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Mirage Becomes Third Las Vegas Strip Casino To Reduce Hours
By Jayden Perez
A number of prominent casinos in Nevada are struggling as the pandemic continues to keep tourists and gamblers at home.
The Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip is the latest resort to reduce its hours of operation — closing mid-week and catering specifically to weekend guests.
Other Vegas casinos such as the Mandalay Bay and as well as Park-M-G-M have taken similar steps in recent weeks.
Nevada is highly dependent on the money generated from casinos. Gaming is the second largest source of revenue for the state.
Novel Coronavirus In Nevada: Monday, December 21, 2020
6:26 p.m. | December 21, 2020
Majority of Nevada Counties Experiencing Elevated COVID-19 Cases
By Lucia Starbuck
Nevada is experiencing elevated disease transmission in all counties but one. With the exception of Storey, all counties have been flagged for elevated disease transmission. One of the criteria is if the county has a test positivity rate over 8%.
Statewide, the test positivity rate is higher at about 20%. That rate has decreased about two percent over the last two weeks, and officials are pointing to the statewide pause in place, but there are still concerns.
“While the test positivity rates may be decreasing now, the overwhelming situation in our hospitals is directly correlated to the ongoing high test positivity rates and concerning daily case counts in our community,” the state’s COVID-19 response director Caleb Cage said.
There were about 2,000 patients hospitalized in Nevada with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, and 80% of staffed hospital beds are occupied.
Nevada officials reported nearly 2,000 additional cases of COVID-19.
There have been about 20 deaths per day on average over the last two weeks statewide.
In Washoe, there have been a total of 419 COVID-19-related deaths, with about a third reported just this month alone.
Also in Washoe, officials reported eight additional deaths on Monday.
Nevada Received 8,000 Doses Of Moderna Vaccine, Majority Going To Northern Nevada
By Lucia Starbuck
Nevada received its first shipment of about 8,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Monday morning.
Two hundred doses were distributed to the Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue.
“Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue is the first fire agency in northern Nevada to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Our plans to begin administering the vaccine to our frontline staff, as early as Tuesday morning. Our organization has one of the highest percentages of paramedics, and we're pleased that we can begin to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of our public, and the safety of our firefighters and paramedics,” the spokesperson Adam Mayberry said.
⚠️#TMFR has received its first shipment of #COVID19 Vaccine, 200 doses. Medication is thawing and will then be administered to our front line personnel. pic.twitter.com/igdAfYDWDi
— Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue (@TMFPD) December 21, 2020
Moderna is the second vaccine approved by the FDA and shipped to Nevada. Out of the 8,000 doses, more than 60% were allocated to Washoe County and Carson City.
Last week, about 10,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine were administered to frontline health care workers at local hospital facilities in Nevada.
Lucia Starbuck is a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.
Nevada Man Charged With COVID-Relief Fraud
By Jayden Perez
A Nevada man is facing criminal charges for misusing federal COVID relief money.
Bryan Robinson, 37, of Henderson received more than $1.6 million from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Programs, earlier this year.
But, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he used the money for personal expenses and transfers to other businesses rather than making payroll.
Three people in Nevada have been charged with COVID-relief fraud, including one man who used the money to buy a house.
City Of Reno Cancels Reno-Tahoe Senior Winter Games
By Jayden Perez
Reno’s Parks and Recreation department announced Monday that it is cancelling the 2021 Reno-Tahoe Senior Winter Games.
Officials say the decision was due to state and local COVID-19 guidelines — which place a cap on public gatherings among other restrictions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, older adults are at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
The 2020 Reno-Tahoe Senior Summer Games were also cancelled earlier this year.
AAA Nevada Predicts Less Travel In Coming Weeks
By Jayden Perez
Travel firm AAA is predicting roughly 34 million fewer drivers on the roads this holiday season.
Citing public health concerns due to the pandemic, the company says it’s expecting a 25 percent drop in drivers compared to this time last year.
That dip will extend to other modes of transportation as well.
Airports will likely see a 60 percent drop in passengers over the next two weeks.
9:35 a.m. | December 21, 2020
Nevada Reports 73 COVID-19-Related Deaths Over The Weekend
By Lucia Starbuck
Over the weekend, Nevada surpassed 200,000 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
There were an additional 2,087 new cases reported Sunday. Over the last 14 days, a little under 2,000 daily new cases have been reported on average, so Sunday's case number is above that average.
Statewide, the test positivity rate is almost 20%, and has declined about 2% in the last two weeks, but the World Health Organization recommends a test positivity rate below 5%.
There were 30 deaths due to the virus reported statewide Sunday and 43 were reported on Saturday. That’s 73 deaths over the weekend.
The hospital data as of Friday shows staffed hospital beds are 82% occupied. That data isn’t released over the weekends.
In Washoe County, health officials are seeing a high death count. On Sunday, officials reported four COVID-19-related deaths, with the ages ranging from the 40s to the 80s.
There are now more than 400 total COVID-19 deaths, with almost a third reported in December alone.
Washoe also reported 558 additional cases of COVID-19 over the weekend.
Two COVID-19 Testing Events Available For Quad-Counties Residents This Week
By Lucia Starbuck
There are two COVID-19 testing events available for Quad-County residents coming up this week.
On Tuesday, testing is available from noon to 2 p.m. at the East Fork Fire Station 7 in Gardnerville, and on Wednesday, testing is available during the same timeframe but at Fernley City Hall. Appointments are not required.
Learn more about COVID-19 testing events for Quad-Counties residents here.
Washoe County School District To Continue Providing Meals Throughout Winter Break
By Lucia Starbuck
The Washoe County School District will continue to provide seven-day lunch and breakfast packs throughout winter break. Those meals are available to all students at all schools, according to the school district website.
For more details, please click here.
Nevada’s Democratic Congresswoman Susie Lee Gets First Dose Of COVID-19 Vaccine
By Lucia Starbuck
Many U.S. representatives and senators have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine after Congress' attending physician told lawmakers there’s no reason to delay.
Nevada’s Democratic Congresswoman Susie Lee got her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Sunday.
Along with health care workers, state lawmakers are also among the first getting vaccinated. This has sparked controversy online as to why lawmakers are first in line.
Lucia Starbuck is a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.
Vegas Restaurants Cope With Extended Virus Restrictions
By The Associated Press
Las Vegas restaurants and bars are turning to individual dining tents, food trucks and contactless takeout to survive extended coronavirus restrictions limiting indoor dining. The hospitality industry has been especially hurt during the pandemic, first seeing total shutdowns and then shifting restrictions on capacity and other operations. Amid a surge of reported coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak in late November tightened restrictions on casinos and restaurants, which had been operating generally at 50% capacity since summer. Sisolak ordered them to reduce capacity to 25% or 50 people, whichever is less, and extended the limits until at least Jan. 15.
California Hospitals Try To Keep Pace, Stores Close During Virus Surge
By The Associated Press
An enormous crush of coronavirus cases in the last six weeks has California's death toll spiraling ever higher. Another 272 fatalities were reported Saturday and 161 deaths were reported Sunday. In the last week, nearly 1,600 people have died. Hospitals are battling to find beds to house patients amid fears the explosion of coronavirus cases will exhaust staffing resources. On Saturday night, Apple Inc. announced that it is temporarily closing all 53 of its stores in California because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Novel Coronavirus In Nevada: Saturday, December 19, 2020
9:31 p.m. | December 19, 2020
KUNR is committed to sharing information and resources on the current status of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in Nevada please visit the following websites for your area.
Nevada
https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/
Washoe County
https://covid19washoe.com/
Quad Counties (Carson City, Douglas County, Lyon County, Storey County)
https://gethealthycarsoncity.org/novel-coronavirus-2019/
Elko County
https://www.elkocountynv.net/alert_detail.php
Check back on Monday for our regular updates.
Novel Coronavirus In Nevada: Friday, December 18, 2020
6:32 p.m. | December 18, 2020
Statewide COVID-19 Report
By Paul Boger
Health officials in Washoe County are reporting 15 deaths from the novel coronavirus, Friday. That pushes the area's death county past 404 in Washoe County, since March, when the first COVID cases were reported in the state. The health district also reported 512 new cases of the disease, today and 13,643 cases are considered active.
In the Quad-Counties, Carson City Health and Human Services reported five additional COVID-19 deaths and 176 new cases of the disease. Of the 8,100 cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic, more than half the cases around Nevada’s Capital City are still active and 86 people have died.
In Elko, county officials reported 30 new cases of the virus in northeastern Nevada. More than 3,626 cases have been reported since March with 423 cases considered active. Thirty-two people have died.
Statewide, Nevada is quickly approaching 200,000 confirmed cases. Nearly a quarter of those cases remain active. More than 2,723 have died.
Nevada Prison Officials Say They Are Stepping-Up COVID Mitigation Efforts
By The Associated Press
Health officials say the Nevada Department of Corrections has taken additional measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within prisons, including ordering a hospital-grade disinfectant fogger for a correctional center in Carson City. The department also ordered additional machines that can be used to sanitize common areas and individual cells. In addition, it has changed protocols regarding the use of personal protective equipment and is now requiring all staff to wear N95 masks while within 6 feet of inmates for more than 15 minutes. There are currently 1,624 confirmed virus cases among Nevada inmates and 205 among staff. Eight inmates and two employees have died from the disease.
Nevada To Recieve Less COVID-19 Vaccine Than Expected
By Paul Boger
Nevada will receive just a little more than half of what was in its second shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine. State officials made the announcement late Thursday night.
According to health officials, the state had expected more than 30,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. But in an update from the Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease Control, that allocation will now be closer to 17,500 doses. In a statement, Governor Steve Sisolak called the move “disruptive and baffling.”
The state’s second shipment is slated for pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens, to help vaccinate staff and residents of skilled nursing and long-term facilities.
Novel Coronavirus In Nevada: Thursday, December 17, 2020
8:05 p.m. | December 17, 2020
Nevada Correctional Facilities Hit Eight COVID-19 Deaths and Nearly 2500 Cases
By Lucia Starbuck
There have been nearly 2,500 COVID-19 cases among inmates within Nevada correctional facilities as of Thursday. Eight have died. Five of those deaths were from the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City.
In Nevada, there have also been two additional deaths among correctional staff.
During a state task force meeting Thursday, public comment took more than an hour. Many Nevadans spoke out against the difficult living conditions, especially the strict lockdowns.
Prison officials pushed back on the early release demands and said that they are restricted by state laws. In the meantime, staff will focus instead on curbing infections. Outbreaks have been an issue in communal living facilities throughout the pandemic.
6:53 p.m. | December 17, 2020
Statewide COVID-19 Report
By Paul Boger
Health officials reported five deaths and 390 new cases of the novel coronavirus in Washoe County on Thursday.
According to the Health District’s latest figures, 32,040 cases have so far been confirmed locally with 13,800 cases considered active.
In Washoe County, 389 people have died from COVID-19. Statewide, 2,673 people have died.
Carson City Health and Human Services reported two deaths in the Quad Counties, That brings the area’s death toll to 81.
Health officials also reported 277 new cases. Nearly 8,000 cases have been reported since the start of the pandemic. More than half are currently active.
Nevada Leads Nation In COVID-19 Hospitalizations
By The Associated Press
More than 1,800 people are being hospitalized for COVID-19, statewide, giving Nevada the largest percentage of COVID-19 hospitalizations of any U.S. state. The surging pandemic has hit urban areas, such as Las Vegas and Reno. especially hard, but it's also challenging rural hospitals with far fewer beds. Several rural Nevada hospitals in recent weeks have taken in more patients than they have licensed beds for. That includes Banner Churchill Community Hospital in Fallon where coronavirus patients take up about 60 percent of the hospital's 25 beds.
California Sees New Grim COVID-19 Record
By The Associated Press
California health authorities have reported a one-day record of 379 coronavirus deaths and more than 52,000 new confirmed cases. The staggering new figures released Thursday, mean California has seen more than 1,000 deaths this week, bringing the state's total death count to nearly 22-thousand. The state has also seen the most cases in the nation with more than 1.7 million confirmed. Many of California’s hospitals are now running out of capacity to treat the severest cases
St. Mary’s To Continue Postponing Elective Surgeries
By Paul Boger
Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center will continue to hold off on some elective surgeries as COVID-19 continues to surge in Washoe County.
Saint Mary's originally announced it was postponing some surgeries earlier this month, in order to continue providing care to the community.
The postponement applies to elective surgeries and procedural cases that require a hospital stay.
Urgent and emergency procedures will continue to be performed.
Renown Regional Medical Center has not made any announcements about postponing elective surgeries.
Novel Coronavirus In Nevada: Wednesday, December 16, 2020
5:50 p.m. | December 16, 2020
Washoe County Reports More Than 100 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In December So Far
By Michelle Billman
Washoe County health officials are reporting six new deaths related to COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the death toll to more than 380. The most recent deaths include people ranging in age from their 60s to their 90s. 
Fifty of those deaths occurred in the last week, and there have been more than 100 deaths so far in December.
The county also reported nearly 330 new cases of the virus; 87 percent of staffed hospital beds in Washoe are occupied.
Statewide, Nevada reported 57 deaths related to the virus, a new record that Governor Steve Sisolak called a “somber milestone.”
DETR Announces Two-Day Delay In Some Unemployment Benefits
By Lucia Starbuck
Nevada’s agency that oversees unemployment insurance, the Department of Employee, Training and Rehabilitation announced Tuesday that some benefit payments are delayed, according to KTVN.
The delay is expected to be resolved by Thursday.
KRNV is reporting that there were nearly 8,800 new unemployment claims filed the week ending on December 5.
Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor In Reno To Close By End Of 2020
By Olivia Ali
Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor in Reno will permanently close its doors at the end of the year. The live music venue lost a majority of its profits when the pandemic hit, according to KOLO-8.
In Nevada, all bars are to operate at no more than 25% occupancy under the state’s COVID-19 mitigation directives.
Nevada Residents Protest Virus Regulations At Washoe County Board Of County Commissioners Meeting
By The Associated Press
Washoe County officials say more than 60 residents testified about coronavirus restrictions during a county commission meeting and some argued against mask mandates. The Reno Gazette-Journal reports that all residents voiced their concerns earlier this week about businesses being destroyed and children lacking quality education. Many of those that spoke were either not wearing masks or were wearing them improperly. None of the commissioners reminded residents of a statewide mask mandate that requires masks be worn. Commission Chair Bob Lucey says officers patrolled aisles and removed at least five people who did not follow the rules.
California Virus Surge Brings Field Hospitals, Body Bags
By The Associated Press
Hospitals are filling up so fast in California that officials are rolling out mobile field facilities. They are also scrambling to hire more doctors and nurses to prepare for an expected surge in coronavirus patients. Meanwhile the state is distributing 5,000 body bags mostly to the hard-hit Los Angeles and San Diego areas and has 60 refrigerated trailers standing by as makeshift morgues. Governor Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that the number of average daily deaths has quadrupled from a month ago. The escalating crisis might not abate for two months despite the arrival of the first doses of vaccines this week.
Get Caught Up:
December 16, 2020 | Regional Updates
- RTC Cancels New Year’s Eve Free Safe Ride
- First Shipment Of COVID-19 Vaccine Lands In Nevada As 2,579 New Cases Reported
- Nevada Reports Record Number Of Dead On Thursday
- Pandemic Shutdowns Possible Cause Of Lower Graduation Rates
- Nearly 50% Of Nevadans Surveyed Said They’re Behind On Rent And Could Face Eviction Within Two Months
For continued updates on the novel coronavirus in Nevada, visit our related stories page.
