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Novel Coronavirus In Nevada: April 15-21

An illustration of an ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses.
Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS
/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses.
Regional Novel Coronavirus Updates: Tuesday, April 21

9:23 p.m. | April 21, 2020
By Danna O'Connor

Nevada Gov. Extends School Closures

Story By The Associated Press

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced he's extending the closure of schools until the end of the school year and is not ready to relax restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The Democratic governor and state experts said Tuesday that Nevada would need to see at least two weeks of consistent drops in the rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths before easing any business closures or stay-at-home rules. The governor plans to progressively open businesses in the state following federal guidelines and the advice of Nevada experts.

Washoe Co. Reports 22 New Cases Tuesday

The Regional Information Center is updating the number of COVID-19 cases in Washoe County.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 22 new cases of the virus for a total of 684 cases in Washoe County.

One hundred seventy-five people have recovered from the illness. Eighteen have died.

Forty-one people are still hospitalized.

Northern Nevada Food Bank Distributing Food Wednesday At Reno-Stead Airport

The Food Bank of Northern Nevada will be distributing food Wednesday at the Reno-Stead Airport to support those affected by COVID-19.

It's the second time in two weeks that the food bank has offered a Mobile Harvest food site at the airport.

People can pick up a box of shelf-stable food and fresh produce from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday in a no-contact, drive-through format.

You can get food if you don't have a car, but social distancing guidelines will be in place.

Nevada AG Calls On Feds To Protect SNAP Benefits for 3.1 Million People

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford called on the Trump Administration to halt a rule that would cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits for 3.1 million people.

News 4 reports that the proposed rule revision would make it more difficult to qualify for food stamps, which Ford said will place a burden on states.

Saying the focus should be on supporting families throughout the coronavirus pandemic instead of denying needed assistance, Ford wants to keep the current policy that allows states to make families automatically eligible for SNAP benefits if they have already qualified to receive certain types of other public assistance.

California Delays Trout Season In Three Counties Amid Pandemic
Story By The Associated Press

California has delayed the start of spring trout season in three rural counties where local officials are concerned out-of-towners could spread the coronavirus to residents. Charlton Bonham, director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, announced that rivers, streams and lakes in Alpine, Inyo and Mono counties would be closed to fishing until May 31. Opening day is celebrated among anglers as "fishmas" and draws thousands of people to the eastern Sierra. It will remain as scheduled for April 25 in other counties

Allegiant Airlines To Get $171.9 Million In COVID-19 Relief Funds
Story By The Associated Press

Allegiant Airlines will receive over $171 million in federal emergency relief through the Payroll Support Program created to help stimulate the economy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Las Vegas-based company announced Tuesday the money provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act will cover approximately 76% of budgeted payroll and benefit costs for its 4,500 workers through Sept. 30. It includes $21 million to be repaid through a 10-year, low-interest loan. Company officials say more than 25% of Allegiant's workforce already is participating in a voluntary short-term leave program or voluntary pay reductions.


Regional Novel Coronavirus Updates: Monday, April 20

6:38 p.m. | April 20, 2020
By Stephanie Serrano

Nevada Continues To Report New COVID-19 Cases In Double Digits

Washoe County is now reporting 662 cases of COVID-19. 166 people have recovered from the virus while 18 people have died in the county. There are still 477 active cases with 47 hospitalizations.

Statewide, Nevada has reported 158 deaths from the virus.

Washoe County Working To Obtain, Release More COVID-19 Testing Information

Washoe County health officials said the county is working with new resources to release and obtain more COVID-19 testing information.

Health officials said that a forecasting model by the Los Alamos Laboratory is projecting Nevada's peak of COVID-19 cases could happen between this week and next week.

Health Officer Kevin Dick said that if Nevadans don’t continue to social distance, that peak in cases could potentially increase, or Nevada could see consistently high numbers.

Officials said hospital capacity continues to be sustainable. Roughly 50% of acute care beds and intensive care beds are occupied and 20% of the county’s ventilators are in use.

The Nevada National Guard is helping staff the drive-thru testing post, assisting with the call center that helps residents obtain COVID-19 testing and conducting case contact investigations.

Health officials are also working to release data maps identifying where COVID-19 cases are occurring in the county by zip code. Dick said these will be important but he has concerns.

“While we are concerned that people might look at zip code information and presume what risks people have in different areas of town, it's very important for people to understand that where their residence is, where they are isolating, does not indicate where they contracted the disease," Dick explained.

Four Abbot Rapid DNA units have been deployed among three local hospitals and the Community Health Alliance. These units run individual COVID-19 tests and can identify results within 15 minutes.

"This is the DNA amplification test, so it is quite reliable as far as the specificity for COVID-19; not to be confused with the other abbot test, which is an antibody test," said Dick.

But supplies are limited and each unit is only capable of testing eight times right now. The county is scheduled to get resupplied by the CDC every two weeks for a total of 120 tests per unit.

The county is working with three epidemiologists and is expected to work with one more next week.

Pahrump Closes Courts After Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19
Story By The Associated Press

Officials say courts will be closed for at least two weeks in the rural Nevada town of Pahrump after an employee tested positive and other workers were exposed to the virus. In court orders, judges banned in-person hearings and criminal and civil trials for at least 14 days. County officials have reported at least 23 cases of COVID-19 in Pahrump, a community of about 40,000 residents, and six cases in other parts of sprawling Nye County. No deaths have been reported.

Hundreds Protest Against Stay-At-Home Orders In California
Story By The Associated Press

Hundreds of protesters lobbying to ease Gov. Gavin Newsom's tight stay-at-home orders rallied around the California Capitol. Newsom outlined how he has approved some counties' gradual relaxing of some restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Newsom said Monday that he approved a plan by Ventura County to reopen golf courses and parks. That prompted the top health official in neighboring counties to implore residents not to flood those locations as warmer temperatures arrive this week. Newsom said he'll give more details about a plan to relax rules throughout the state Wednesday.

Nevada Senator Rosen Deploys Spanish language COVID-19 Resource Guide

Spanish language speakers will now have access to a COVID-19 information page. Democratic U.S. Senator Jackie Rosen is deploying an online resource guide in Spanish. The web page has information for small business owners and residents filing for unemployment, along with resources for veterans.

North Lake Tahoe’s Fourth Of July Celebration Canceled Due To COVID-19
Story By The Associated Press

The biggest Fourth of July celebration on the north shore of Lake Tahoe has been canceled. The town of Incline Village on the Nevada side of the lake straddling the California-Nevada line determined it was too risky to move forward with vendor contracts that need to be signed for the annual fireworks and other activities. Fireworks are still planned on the south end of the lake, where Tahoe's biggest gathering typically attracts tens of thousands.


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Regional Novel Coronavirus Updates: Sunday, April 19

2:05 p.m. | April 19, 2020

By Stephanie Serrano

Washoe County Reports Two New COVID-19-Related Deaths

Washoe County is reporting two additional deaths from COVID-19. The victims were a male and female, both in their 60s and with underlying health conditions. 18 Washoe County residents have died so far from the virus.

That brings the total number of cases to 637 countywide. Of those, there are 468 active cases with 44 hospitalizations.

Statewide, at least 155 people have died from the novel coronavirus, with 3,728 Nevadans having tested positive so far.

Quad County Identifies Two New COVID-19 Cases.

The Quad-County Emergency Operations Center is reporting two new COVID-19 cases in the region that spans Douglas, Storey and Lyon Counties, and Carson City. They are a female Douglas County resident in her 30s and a female Lyon County resident in her 60s.

This brings the total number of cases in the Quad-County Region to 59 with 15 recoveries. No COVID-19-related deaths have been reported at this time.

California Leases 16,000 Hotel Rooms To House The Homeless
Story By The Associated Press

California is on its way to leasing more than 16-thousand hotel rooms to house those experiencing homelessness during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Governor Gavin Newsom said Saturday that more than 4-thousand homeless people have moved into the rooms already acquired. But, his office could not specify where all of the people are. There are concerns the virus could sweep through the state's 150,000 homeless people. Meanwhile, efforts are being made to test the homeless population for the virus across the Golden State.

Regional Novel Coronavirus Updates: Saturday, April 18

3:12 p.m. | April 18, 2020

By Stephanie Serrano

COVID-19 Cases In Nevada Increase Overnight

Nevada health officials report that the state has had at least 151 deaths from the novel  coronavirus outbreak early Saturday.

The Department of Health and Human Services is reporting over 3,600 people have tested positive for COVID-19. That’s 102 more since Friday.

Additionally, Washoe County is reporting 18 new identified COVID-19 cases. That brings the total number of cases to 606. Across the county there are 459 active cases with 40 hospitalizations.

Hundreds Of Nevadans Protest To Reopen Nevada

Bucking guidance from Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, hundreds of Nevadans gathered at the state capital Saturday to protest the closure of nonessential business and other measures.

Many gathered just inches from each other, as they argued for Sisolak to reopen the state’s economy.

Some of the protestors said the governor is acting unconstitutionally.

Sisolak’s order to close nonessential businesses is effective through April 30.

Tens Of Thousands More Nevadans File For Unemployment

An additional 58,641 Nevadan’s filed for unemployment benefits last week.

So far this year, there have been more than 330,174 initial claims made through April 11, already more than in any full calendar year in state history.

Even though the numbers are high, officials with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation say initial claims did decrease by 26% for the week ending April 11. This is the first decrease seen since the closure of nonessential businesses to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

California To Extend COVID-19 Testing To Vulnerable Communities
Story By The Associated Press

With California's death toll from the novel coronavirus topping 1,000, lawmakers are looking at ways to slow the spread, especially in vulnerable populations like those experiencing homelessness. The pandemic has plunged California - the world's fifth-largest economy - into recession. There are concerns it could sweep through the state's 150,000 homeless. Efforts are being made to test the homeless for the virus and to provide alternative housing in thousands of hotel rooms in the state.

Las Vegas To Suspend Enforcement Of Traffic Cases Due To COVID-19
Story By The Associated Press

The Las Vegas Justice Court has decided to suspend enforcement of more than one quarter of a million traffic cases until 60 days after the governor's stay-at-home directive is lifted. That means anyone who has a traffic warrant from the court isn't at risk of being arrested...for the time being. The court made the announcement yesterday (Friday) saying the decision will affect about 270,000 cases. Still, officials are encouraging people to pay their fines and resolve their cases as soon as possible. The number of reported COVID-19 cases in Nevada has topped 3,600, with 151 deaths.

Regional Novel Coronavirus Updates: Friday, April 17

8:54 p.m. | April 17, 2020

By Bree Zender

Nevada’s COVID-19 Caseload Jumps to More Than 3,500

The State of Nevada reported on Friday that there have been 151 deaths in Nevada due to COVID-19. 21 of the deceased were residents or staff of state-regulated facilities, such as assisted living, correctional or childcare institutions.

The total of known case numbers statewide has risen to 3,524. 289 of these positive cases are from state-regulated facilities. 

 
7:13 p.m. | April 17, 2020
By Bree Zender

Quad Counties Report Four More COVID-19 Cases

Lyon County has confirmed three additional residents who have COVID-19, the Quad-County Emergency Operations Center said Friday. In Carson City, one man in his 20s has tested positive as well.

The Quad Counties Region — Carson City, along with Storey, Lyon and Douglas Counties — now has a total of 57 residents who have COVID-19. Three of them are hospitalized. Nobody is known to have died from the disease in the Quad Counties.

Large Summer, Fall Events In Reno May Be Cancelled Due To Pandemic

The summer and fall are peak times for large events that bring in people from around the world to the Reno-Sparks area, but with the novel coronavirus pandemic still underway, local leaders are having doubts about whether many of these events will be able to go on at all.

Events, like Hot August Nights in Reno, can draw in around 500,000 people each year. At a virtual town hall event for Washoe County on Friday, Sparks Mayor Ron Smith said that large events will likely be pushed up against each other, if they happen at all.

“And I think everyone is trying to move everything later in the year, and pretty soon you’re going to run out of room,” Smith said. “You’ve got the Air Races in September, as well as the Balloon Races, so there’s going to be some tough decisions made.”

Reno Mayor Hillary Scheive said that it’s still a fluid situation in terms of the spread of the virus, and we still don’t know what it will look like once summer hits. If the events still go on, participants may need to continue social distancing from one another and adhere to other kinds of restrictions.

“You know, I’ve been telling people, ‘You may not like what I have to say, but I’m going to be very honest with you.’ That might be challenging,” Scheive said. “We might have to say, ‘Hey, it’s going to be 50 people at a time.’ We don’t know. We’ll have to continue to look at the data.”

The county is holding another virtual town hall on Friday, April 24 at 1 p.m., which will be centered around public safety during the pandemic. You can submit a question ahead of time at covid19washoe.com.

NV Gov. Sisolak Says Reopening Businesses Will Be A Long Process
Story By The Associated Press

As Nevada’s reported death toll from the coronavirus outbreak continues to rise, Gov. Steve Sisolak says reopening businesses and relaxing other restrictions will be an incremental process. Sisolak said Thursday night he intends to detail next week some criteria he’ll use, but he said any changes will be incremental with its pace dictated by circumstances.

California’s Unemployment Rate Soars, But The Worst Is Yet To Come
Story By The Associated Press

California has lost 100,000 jobs as the coronavirus pandemic has forced the closure of nonessential businesses. A new report from the California Employment Development Department shows California's unemployment rate is 5.3% in March. But the numbers are just a glimpse of what is to come. The job losses are based on a survey taken the week that included March 12. Most of the state's job losses came after that date. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a mandatory stay-at-home order on March 19. California had job losses in six of the state's 11 industry sectors. The biggest losses were in the leisure and hospitality industry.

Vegas Jail Releasing Some Inmates To Prevent Virus Spread
Story By The Associated Press

Police in Las Vegas say as many as 290 county jail inmates are being released in a bid to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus behind bars. Sheriff Joe Lombardo said Friday he obtained court approval for the program to free up to 10% of the 2,900 people held at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, where one detainee with COVID-19 is in medical isolation and three others who tested positive were already released. Police say only "medically vulnerable" and misdemeanor non-violent offenders are among those eligible for release. People jailed pending court appearances on violent crimes and felonies are not eligible.

Despite Virus, US Denying Extended Comment Of Fernley Canal
Story By The Associated Press

The Trump administration is urging a federal judge to reject Fernley’s demands to extend the public comment period on plans to repair a 115-year-old irrigation canal until the governor lifts statewide restrictions regarding the coronavirus. The Bureau of Reclamation insists it is following the same comment guidelines Nevada's governor adopted in response to the virus. It is accepting comments online through Monday while moving forward with plans to repair the earthen canal that failed and flooded hundreds of homes in Fernley in 2008. The town east of Reno wants the bureau to accept comments until a month after virus restrictions are lifted.


2:07 p.m. | April 17, 2020
By Noah Glick

Washoe County Reports Total Of 16 Deaths, 588 COVID-19 Cases

Washoe County Health District Officer Kevin Dick said a county resident has died from COVID-19, bringing the total deaths in Washoe County to 16.

The victim was a woman in her 90s with underlying health conditions.

Additionally, there have been 16 new cases of the virus reported Friday, bringing the total cases to 588.

Dick also provided updates on the county’s hospital occupancy rates:

  • Acute-Care beds: 54% occupied
  • Intensive Care Unit beds: 49% occupied
  • Ventilators: 28% occupied

Could COVID-19 Be Slowing In Nevada?

As people continue to socially distance themselves, some health officials say there might be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Nevada might have already seen its peak of COVID-19 cases. That’s according to a model from the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The model says there’s an 80% chance that Nevada’s peak occurred on or before April 15. Washoe County District Health Officer Kevin Dick said if Nevada hasn’t reached its peak yet, it will soon.

“The highest probability of our peak occurring in the future is for it to occur this week, next week or the following week,” Dick said during Friday’s update from the Regional Information Center.

Additionally, Incident Commander Sam Hicks said officials expect that hospitals will be able to handle the surge. That’s why they decided to hold off on building out an alternative care site at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

If needed, Hicks said the site could be built in full in 10 days.

Nevada National Guard To Assist With Drive-Thru Testing

The Nevada National Guard is being deployed to help health officials with its drive-thru testing service in Northern Nevada.

Washoe County Health District Officer Kevin Dick said the Guard is well equipped to help county health officials with a variety of tasks.

“They actually have nurses that can be involved in the sample collection,” Dick said. “They can also help with the different tasks involved with after the sample is collected, getting it labeled appropriately for submittal to the lab. They can help with paperwork.”

Last month, Gov. Steve Sisolak activated the Nevada National Guard to help with the state’s COVID-19 response.



Regional Novel Coronavirus Updates: Thursday, April 16

7:45 p.m. | April 16, 2020
By Paul Boger

COVID-19 Death Toll Climbs To 15 In Washoe County

Health officials in Washoe County said a woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions has died from COVID-19, bringing the county's total number of deaths to 15.

In the latest round of numbers from the Regional Information Center, there were 23 additional cases of the novel coronavirus in Washoe County.

So far, 572 people have tested positive for the disease.

Statewide, health officials are reporting more than 3,300 cases in Nevada and more than 130 deaths.

The Department of Health and Human Services said nearly 34,000 tests have so far been administered across the state.

Sisolak Pushes Back Against Critics

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak is pushing back against critics who have said he should end the state's lockdown and instead protect the economy.

Among his top critics is Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman who has been unapologetic in her push to reopen the state's economy.

In a series of interviews this week, Goodman called the shutdown insane and said that “being closed is killing us.”

"I'm putting the lives of my fellow Nevadans ahead of any dollars, and we will open when the time is right,” said Sisolak to reporters Thursday. “When the experts tell me and the data tells me that it's okay to open, then we're going to do it."

The governor's current shelter-at-home directive is set to expire at the end of the month, which is about two weeks away. It remains unclear whether he plans to extend that order into May.

Nevada Democrats Sue State Over Perceived Inequities In Nevada’s Upcoming Mail-In Primary

Democrats in Nevada are suing the Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske’s office over alleged inequities in June's mail-in primary election.

The lawsuit filed in Carson City District Court by the state Democratic party, along with some voters and other party-aligned groups, demands that the Secretary of State add more in-person polling places across the state.

It also looks to ease so-called “vote harvesting” laws and asks for ballots to be sent to all registered voters — not just the active ones.

In late-March, Cegavske announced the state would conduct an all-mail primary election, but noted that one in-person polling place would be open per county.

When Democrats originally approached her office with their demands last week, Cegavske said in a statement that her office disagreed with many of the suggestions.

She said opening up additional polling places creates logistical and staffing challenges, as well as increased risk of the spread of the coronavirus.

Rosen Tapped For Bipartisan Task Force

Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen said she's joined a presidential task force meant to develop a strategy to jumpstart the U.S. economy.

In a press release issued Thursday, Rosen confirmed her appointment to President Donald Trump's Congressional Task Force to Reopen America.

The task force, which was formed earlier this week, looks to address when the country should return to normal amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the statement released by her office, Rosen said Nevada will likely be among the states hardest hit by the economic fallout caused by the pandemic and that it's important to work in a bipartisan manner to “protect the health and well-being of the country.”

Rosen is the only member of Nevada's congressional delegation who was asked to join the task force.

Washoe Health Officials Placing Alternate Care Facility On Hold

Washoe County health officials said they are putting a hold on a plan to convert the Reno-Sparks Convention Center into a 700-bed alternate care site.

That's according to an update released by the COVID-19 Washoe Incident Management Team this Thursday.

Officials said they are continuing to work with the Army Corps of Engineers and that the project will move forward if needed.

They said it would take a little more than a week to convert the 381,000-square-foot space into a hospital.

The alternate care site would serve patients with a broad spectrum of conditions from non-acute to critical care.

In addition, Renown Health has also set up a 700-bed alternate care facility in its parking structure with the ability to set up an additional 700 beds if needed.

Another 60,000 Nevadans File Unemployment Claims
Story By The Associated Press

Federal figures show another 60,000 Nevadans filed for unemployment benefits last week. The new unemployment claims mean more than 300,000 out-of-work people have sought benefits since casinos and businesses closed in mid-March amid the spread of the coronavirus. A U.S. Department of Labor report on Thursday came as state officials said the Nevada jobless rate jumped to 6.3 percent in March. That's up from all-time lows of 3.6 percent in January and February. The state jobless office is hiring more workers to try to reduce wait times for people seeking benefits.

Lawmakers In California Hold Hearing On Governor’s COVID-19 Spending
Story By The Associated Press

Lawmakers in California held their first oversight hearing to examine how Governor Gavin Newsom has spent more than $2 billion dollars in taxpayer money to combat the coronavirus crisis. Thursday's committee meeting was the first legislative hearing since lawmakers recessed in mid-March because of the virus. Before leaving, lawmakers gave Newsom permission to spend up to a billion dollars fighting the virus and the economic crisis it's caused. Newsom has spent more than three-quarters of that money so far. He's also spent more than a billion dollars from the state's other emergency funds. Lawmakers have asked Newsom for more details on some of that spending as well.


Regional Novel Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday, April 15

5:39 p.m. | April 15, 2020
By Noah Glick

Update On COVID-19 Numbers

More than 120 new cases of COVID-19 were reported statewide Wednesday.

KOLO-TV reports that includes the 12th case in Elko County. That person is a woman in her 40s who is self-isolating.

Overall, there have been 136 deaths statewide from the virus as of Wednesday evening. The total number of cases is now up to 3,211, with 24,444 Nevadans having tested negative for the illness.

Mail-In Primary Stirring Political Conflicts

The Nevada Democratic Party and the state’s Republican Secretary of State are in a war of words over June’s mail-in primary ballots.

It all began last Friday when NV Dems sent a letter to Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske’s office, asking to install more in-person polling locations, mail ballots to all registered voters rather than only active ones, and to allow family members to submit ballots for people who can’t make it.

Cegavske’s Elections Chief Wayne Thorley responded, saying more in-person polling would encourage the virus to spread. In addition, he said the Democratic Party is asking him to “disregard long-standing voter integrity provisions.”

Former U.S. Senator Harry Reid also weighed in on the issue, and said “While I applaud a vast expansion of voting by mail, it cannot be the only voting method offered in a state where 90% of the voters choose to vote in person and it cannot be administered in a way that limits the ability for Nevadans to vote safely.”

Nevada State Democratic Party Chair William McCurdy II said in a statement released Wednesday that “only having one in-person polling location per county will undoubtedly cause the disaster of long lines and overcrowding that the country witnessed in Wisconsin and will hurt communities of color.”

Last month, Nevada’s Secretary of State announced a move to a mail-in primary on June 9, to help stem the spread of COVID-19

Amazon Worker In Reno Tests Positive For COVID-19

An employee at Amazon’s fulfillment center north of Reno has tested positive for COVID-19.

News 4 reports that the company released a statement saying it is taking several precautions moving forward. That includes the increase of cleaning and sanitizing, adjusting operations to practice social distancing and staggering shift times, among other measures.

Las Vegas Mayor Calls Nevada’s Business Closures ‘Total Insanity’

During Wednesday’s Las Vegas City Council meeting, Mayor Carolyn Goodman voiced her opposition to Nev. Gov. Steve Sisolak’s order that all nonessential businesses remain closed to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“This shutdown has become one of total insanity, in my opinion,” Goodman said. “For there is no backup of data as to why we are shut down from the start.”

Goodman went on to say that the shutdown is hurting the entire state of Nevada, whereas COVID-19 is affecting just a small fraction.

“Remember the data. The data is less than one-half of 1% tragically have been lost. And the entire 3.2 million people have been brought to their knees,” Goodman added.

Nev. Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered all nonessential businesses to shut down last month.


2:56 p.m. | April 15, 2020
By Noah Glick

COVID-19 Cases Reach 3,200, Deaths 130 In Nevada, 14th Death Reported In Washoe Co.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 130 Nevadans have died from COVID-19, according to the latest numbers from the state. While more than 3,200 people have tested positive for the virus, nearly 25,000 have tested negative.

Women seem to be more impacted in Nevada, as 55% of cases statewide are women. The virus also seems to be affecting all age groups above 19 similarly.

In Washoe County, 14 people have died from the virus. The latest was a man in his 70s. Officials are investigating whether he had underlying health issues.

You can see the breakdown by county here.

COVID-19 Antibody Tests Coming To Washoe County

Nevada State Public Health Laboratory Director Mark Pandori said that antibody testing will be coming to Washoe County in the next week or two.

Antibody tests don’t test whether someone currently has COVID-19, but whether their body has been exposed to it and has begun producing antibodies.

“So if you had a negative result on an antibody test, it could be that you’re infected but you haven’t started to make antibodies yet,” said Pandori.

Pandori said that Nevada law dictates that only health district employees or clinicians can order lab tests.

Washoe County Hospital Capacity Update

Washoe District Health Officer Kevin Dick announced the latest occupancy numbers at Washoe County facilities:

  • Acute Care beds: 54% occupied
  • ICU beds: 49% occupied
  • Ventilators: 23% occupied

Sisolak Orders Unemployment Claims To Be Backdated

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak is ordering the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation to backdate all unemployment claims to March 15.

“Whenever your application was submitted, you will be paid retroactively and there’s no more action you need to take for this to go through if you have already filed your initial claim,” Sisolak said during Tuesday’s press conference.

That means even if you don’t file your unemployment claim until this week, you’ll get the full unemployment benefits backdated to mid-March.

Sisolak also announced that Nevada is one of the first states that will begin dispersing an additional $600 from the federal coronavirus stimulus package, known as the CARES Act. Those payments will also be backdated.

Officials with DETR also announced that a new federal system for independent contractors will open up in the coming weeks, although no date was announced.

WCSD Continues Distance Learning, Announces Pickup Locations

As the Washoe County School District continues with its distance learning plans, it announced pickup locations for the next round of learning materials.

Families can pick up packets at the following locations:

April 16-18 at the following locations:

  • Central Reno
    • AACT High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • North Valleys
    • Cold Springs Middle School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • North Valleys High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Northwest Reno
    • McQueen High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Old Southwest
    • Reno High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • South Reno
    • Galena High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Southeast Reno
    • Damonte Ranch High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Wooster High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Spanish Springs
    • Spanish Springs High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Sparks
    • Reed High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Sparks High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Sun Valley
    • Hug High School – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Washoe Valley / Pleasant Valley
    • Pleasant Valley Elementary School – 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Thursday and Saturday — April 16 and 18 — at the following locations:

  • Antelope Valley
    • Matterhorn at mailboxes before Antelope Valley – 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
  • Pyramid Lake / Palomino Valley
    • Sutcliffe/Pyramid Lake Lodge – 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
    • Axe Handle Canyon at Pyramid Highway, dirt lot – 11 a.m. to 12 noon

Friday, April 17 only at the following locations:

  • Central Reno / Downtown
    • Siegel Suites on 7th Parking Lot – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
    • 320 Evans Ave./Aces Parking Lot – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
    • Reno/Sparks Indian Colony Head Start on Golden Lane at Playground – 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Las Vegas Lab Illegally Testing For COVID-19

A Las Vegas laboratory has been ordered to cease and desist after it was found to be operating without a license.

The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health officially ordered Sahara West Urgent Care and Wellness in Las Vegas to cease operations.

The facility was using what’s called a serological test to test for COVID-19. That type of test is not used to diagnose COVID-19, and any results from those tests are considered nonvalid.

State officials are urging all people who were tested at Sahara West Urgent Care & Wellness to contact their health care provider to see if any additional tests are needed.

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For continued updates on the novel coronavirus in Nevada, visit our updates and resourcespage.

Danna has been with KUNR Public Radio since 1995. She started as a weekend announcer, then full time jazz host and in 2008 became the local host for NPR’s Morning Edition.
Noah Glick is a former content director and host at KUNR Public Radio.
Paul Boger is a former reporter at KUNR Public Radio.
Stephanie Serrano (she/her/ella) is an award-winning multimedia bilingual journalist based in Reno, Nevada. Her reporting is powered by character-driven stories and is rooted in sound-rich audio. Her storytelling works to share the experiences of unserved communities in regards to education, race, affordable housing and sports.
Bree Zender is a former host and reporter at KUNR Public Radio.
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