With the number of coronavirus cases in the Silver State on the rise, The Nevada Independent will be keeping you up to date on the latest here, both through regular live blog updates and updates to our infographic tracking cases around Nevada. The most recent updates will be posted at the top.

To see previous developments, you can visit our week one live blog here, our week two live blog here and our week three live blog (3/23-3/29) here. You can also see our live blog tracking economic developments from the first week here.

Resources:

• Indy Resource Guide: Where to find food, cash assistance and other help during coronavirus outbreak
• Nevada Health Response
• Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health
• Southern Nevada Health District
• Washoe County Health District
• Carson City Health and Human Services
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
• Indy Explains: What should you do in Nevada if you think you might have the novel coronavirus? 

Note: The default view of the above spreadsheet shows positive cases as reported by the counties and the cumulative county-by-county total, which may differ from the total the state is reporting. Check the above infographic for the latest statewide case total.

Sunday state and county update: Positive COVID-19 cases now more than 1,830

Nevada health officials reported Sunday morning that the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the state is now at 1,836, with the confirmed cases count rising by 94 as compared to Saturday.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ dashboard of positive cases also showed a slight uptick in the percentage of positive cases from people tested — 10.9 percent — compared to Saturday, when the percentage was 10.8 percent. 

The Southern Nevada Health District reported on Sunday morning that the number of cases in the county is now at 1,519, a growth of 101 confirmed cases as compared to Saturday.

On Saturday, officials in Humboldt County reported two additional positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the rural county’s total number of cases to 11.

Washoe County health officials reported on Sunday afternoon that the county was reporting 19 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the county’s number of cases up to 264. 18 individuals in the county are currently hospitalized with the virus, and 29 cases have recovered.

— Last updated 4/5/20 at 1:35 p.m.

Officials: Temporary shelter for homeless who have COVID-19 or were exposed is behind schedule

Officials say they’re slightly behind schedule on a temporary facility with the capacity to shelter 350 homeless individuals who need to be isolated or quarantined because they have or were exposed to COVID-19.

Authorities with Clark County and the City of Las Vegas issued a statement Sunday evening saying the Cashman Isolation-Quarantine Complex (Cashman ISO-Q) will not be ready to accept guests Monday evening as originally planned. They said they expect it to open this week, however.

“We were overly optimistic with our original timeline for the opening,” officials said. “While we have seen tremendous progress during the past seven days, it took slightly longer than expected to find staff, train them and get them all the protective and other equipment they need.”

The facility is geared toward people who don’t require hospitalization and would be directed to isolate at home, but do not have homes. It will include separate areas for people exposed to coronavirus, those who test positive, and those who test positive but are asymptomatic.

Officials have said homeless individuals “in need of quarantine will need a referral from a local shelter partner.” The complex will consist of tents, each one with staff and security, as well as water and sewer connections.

It’s expected to be a multimillion-dollar project staffed by more than 100 people.

“Without this facility those homeless individuals would be on the streets or in homeless shelters, both of which would put our community at risk for increased transmission of the coronavirus,” local government officials said.

Plans for the ISO-Q complex were unveiled just as the city and county were drawing widespread criticism for having homeless individuals sleep on an uncovered parking lot outside a large expo hall. The lot was used after a client at Catholic Charities’ men’s shelter tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the temporary closure of the shelter and overcrowding and the open-air Courtyard homeless services complex.

The parking lot has been retired as a sleeping area for the homeless now that the regular shelter has reopened.

The ISO-Q facility is geared toward people with some interface with COVID-19 rather than for Southern Nevada’s homeless population as a whole.

— Michelle Rindels, 4/5/20, 8:25 p.m.

Saturday state and county updates: State reports nearly 1,750 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus; statewide death total now at 46

The Department of Health and Human Services is reporting a total of 1,742 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Nevada, an increase of 191 from Friday night's number and 228 more than the state's last reported total Friday morning.

Positive cases represent 10.8 percent of the number of people tested, up slightly from 10.4 percent on Friday.

The Southern Nevada Health District announced Saturday morning two new deaths associated with COVID-19 in Clark County, bringing the countywide death total to 41 and the statewide death total to 46. Four people have died in Washoe County and one person has died in Elko County.

The health district also announced 139 new cases of the novel coronavirus in Clark County Saturday morning, for a total of 1,418 countywide. Clark County continues to have the most cases per capita in Nevada, with 63.5 cases per 100,000 residents.

Hospitalizations in Clark County were up to 362 Saturday morning, up 31 from the prior day.

Carson City Health and Human Services also announced two new cases, a female Carson City resident in her 70s and another in a Lyon County resident in her 30s. Both women are self-isolating at home in stable condition. Carson City is now up to 10 cases and Lyon County has three.

The Washoe County Health District announced on Saturday afternoon 16 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the countywide total to 245. There are no additional deaths or recoveries in the county and 215 cases remain active.

— Last updated 4/4/20 at 1:50 p.m.

Nevada urges people with medical backgrounds to join the state's coronavirus response

The Nevada Health Response Center and the Department of Health and Human Services are urging people with health care backgrounds to join the Battle Born Medical Corps, which will expand the state’s workforce during the coronavirus crisis.

Gov. Steve Sisolak announced the creation of the group Wednesday in an emergency directive that allows Nevada’s professional licensing boards to temporarily waive certain licensing requirements. The waiver will expire after the declared emergency is lifted.

The state is looking for a wide cross-section of professionals  — such as registered nurses, respiratory care practitioners, paramedics, medical laboratory technicians, pharmacists and medical and nursing students — to join the corps.

The waiver will allow retirees or workers not licensed in Nevada to help during the crisis, along with those who received medical training but never obtained a license and students who have completed a significant amount of training but have not yet graduated. But it does not apply to medical providers who have had their license revoked or those who voluntarily surrendered it because of disciplinary action.

People interested in joining the Battle Born Medical Corp can do so at ServNV.org.

— Jackie Valley, 4/4/2020 at 7:07 p.m.

Five residents of veterans home test positive for COVID-19

Five of 161 residents at the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Saturday.

All residents have been tested, but testing of team members continues. The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System and Nevada State Public Health Labs are helping with the testing.

“We are extremely grateful these residents are all doing well,” Nevada Department of Veterans Services Director Kat Miller said in a statement. “They all remain in isolation and are being cared for by our team members who are following established local, state, and federal guidelines to stop the spread of the virus.”

Officials noted that this was the first chance the home had to test all residents and team members because of the nationwide testing kit backlog. 

A phone line (702-332-6705) has been set up to provide updates on or before noon each day to community members, residents and relatives. 

— Jackie Valley, 4/4/20 at 5:30 p.m.

Friday state and county updates: Positive cases statewide surpass 1,550; death total rises to 44

The Department of Health and Human Services reported a total of 1,514 confirmed coronavirus cases Friday morning. By the end of the day, the statewide case total had risen to 1,551 and the death total was 44.

Although the number of cases reported by the state grew by fewer than 100, the number of patients who tested positive grew by 3.8 percent while the total number of people tested grew at a slower rate of 3.5 percent.

Southern Nevada Health District officials announced a total of 1,279 cases of the novel coronavirus Friday morning — up 154 from the previous day's total — and five new deaths.

The health district reported that roughly a fourth of coronavirus cases have led to hospitalizations. And of those hospitalizations, 15 percent of patients have ended up in the intensive care unit and 11 percent have been intubated. About 16 percent of all patients hospitalized have an underlying medical condition, such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease or diabetes.

Ninety-two percent of the people who died in Southern Nevada were hospitalized, and 56 percent of those people had an underlying medical condition, according to the health district.

Elko County officials reported two more cases on Thursday, bringing the county total to seven. The two new cases are a man and a woman in their 30s, and both are isolating at their homes, authorities said. The man is a close contact of a previously reported case.

Western Nevada officials reported a new case in Douglas County Friday morning. The resident is a woman in her 60s who is self-isolating at home. Douglas County also reported one recovery Friday. The county has reported seven total cases.

On Friday afternoon, Washoe County reported another 45 positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of reported cases in the county up to 229. County officials say 26 people have recovered from the virus, with the number of deaths still at four.

An eighth person has tested positive for coronavirus in Elko County, officials announced Friday afternoon. The patient, a man in his 40s, is isolating at home and is a close contact of a previously reported case.

Humboldt County officials also announced two new cases of the novel coronavirus Friday afternoon. The two cases are a man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s, both known close contacts of previously reported cases. Of the nine cases in Humboldt, four have been hospitalized and five are isolating at home.

Nye County also reported another positive COVID-19 case in Pahrump on Friday evening, driving the number of cases in the county up to seven total.

West Wendover Mayor Daniel Corona confirmed on Friday evening that an individual who tested positive for the virus earlier this week has died. It's the first COVID-19 related death reported outside of Clark and Washoe counties, and brings the statewide death total to 44. Elko County officials confirmed the death Saturday morning, a woman in her late 50s with underlying medical conditions who was not hospitalized at the time of her death.

— Updated 4/4/20 at 8:26 a.m.

Reno behavioral health hospital under investigation after dozens test positive for COVID-19

Nevada health authorities are actively investigating the Willow Springs behavioral health center in Reno after 24 youth and 11 staff tested positive for COVID-19.

A spokeswoman for the state’s Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance said in a press release on Friday evening that the state is actively investigating the behavioral health hospital, and that “measures are in place” to prevent further exposure to the virus. 

“The health and wellness of our patients and staff is of utmost importance and we are taking this matter seriously and cooperating with the State during their review of our facility,” Willow Springs Center CEO Andrew Herod said in a statement.

A staff member at the hospital, a woman in her 30s, was one of Washoe County’s four reported deaths from the virus. The Reno Gazette-Journal previously reported the state’s investigation into the treatment center.

— Riley Snyder, 4/3/20 at 6:01 p.m.

Gaming trade association CEO: ‘Deeply concerned’ over small business loan exclusions 

The head of the American Gaming Association said he was “deeply concerned” Friday morning by interim guidelines from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that do not allow small gaming companies to apply for a federal loan program known as the Paycheck Protection Program.

The loan program is aimed at helping small businesses stay afloat and keep employees on their payrolls during an economic downturn. But the American Gaming Association is concerned that their members will be precluded from using the small business relief program, an exclusion that the trade group says would affect about one-third of the casino industry. 

“In SBA’s efforts to quickly issue guidance on the [program], they relied on antiquated, discriminatory regulations that ignore today’s economic reality and the congressional intent behind the CARES Act, which states that any business concern shall be eligible to receive an SBA loan if they meet specific qualifications regarding their number of employees,” American Gaming Association president and CEO Bill Miller said in a statement Friday. 

The SBA does not typically extend economic disaster loans to businesses “deriving more than one-third of gross annual revenue from legal gambling activities.”

“Unless amended, these initial guidelines will irreparably harm one-third of the U.S. casino industry and the hundreds of thousands of Americans that rely on gaming businesses for their livelihood,” Miller wrote. “This decision will affect hard-working Americans from Pennsylvania to Nevada, Ohio to Colorado, and everywhere in between who need and deserve the same level of support as anyone across the country during these unprecedented times.”

On March 31, the trade group wrote a letter to the Department of Treasury, arguing that Congress intended to expand SBA eligibility under the CARES Act.

— Daniel Rothberg, 4/3/20 at 9:32 a.m.

Fundraising for coronavirus task force passes $10 million

A new coronavirus task force, led by former MGM CEO Jim Murren, announced Friday that it had raised more than $10 million since it was formed last weekend. 

The private sector task force is working to ensure that medical providers have access to personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, gloves, gowns and sanitizer. Murren said the task force continues to explore “global leads” for protective equipment. 

The $10 million in fundraising does not include PPEs that have been donated directly to medical professionals and first responders.

The task force reported donations from several contributors, including Nevada Gold Mines, the Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation, the Fertitta Family Foundation, Stephen J. Cloobeck, the Murren Family Foundation, the Engelstad Foundation, Las Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley, Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis, the Marnell Family Foundation, Phil and Jennifer Satre, UFC, the Peppermill Resort, Scott and Mary Alice Nielson, the Menzies Family Trust and the Binion Family Foundation. 

“The members of the task force and I are in awe of the generosity we’ve encountered from so many of our peers, friends and fellow Nevadans,” Murren said in a statement. “In today’s hyper-competitive market of medical supplies, it is critical that we have readily available funds to seize opportunities to purchase necessary supplies every time appropriate sourcing is secured."

— Daniel Rothberg, 4/3/20 at 9:00 a.m.

Thursday county and state updates: Death count rises to 38, more than 1,400 individuals test positive for COVID-19

Nevada’s statewide death total from COVID-19 has risen to 38, with the total number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the state now more than 1,400.

Updated totals published by the state and Clark County on Thursday morning show the death total has risen by six since Wednesday, all coming from new cases reported in Clark County, and statewide reported positive COVID-19 cases have increased by 179 compared to Wednesday.

Of the 1,125 positive cases reported in Clark County, 277 (or about 24.6 percent of cases) have required hospitalization, including 42 cases requiring an intensive care unit — figures that don’t include the 34 deaths reported in the county.

Of the reported deaths, 25 required an intensive care unit, and 22 of the cases (64 percent) had some form of an underlying medical condition, including 12 with hypertension and nine with diabetes.

Carson City health officials also reported another positive case on Thursday, a man in his 80s who is self-isolating at home and in stable condition. Carson City also reported one recovery, and has nine reported cases. 

In Washoe County, health district officials reported 21 additional cases on Thursday, bringing the county's total number of cases up to 184. Health officials also reported eight more individuals have recovered from the virus, for a total of 26 recoveries.

— Updated 4/2/20 at 3:27 p.m.

MGM CEO Hornbuckle says 60,000 employees outside of Macau are furloughed

MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle said the company has furloughed about 60,000 employees — the vast majority of its workforce outside of Macau.

Hornbuckle said in an interview with CNBC’s Contessa Brewer that the company has 82,000 employees worldwide. About 13,000 work in Macau, and 69,000 don’t.

“It’s been devastating,” Hornbuckle said about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

While casinos in Macau have opened after COVID-19 swept through Asia, Hornbuckle said they continue to leak cash aside from a few days with an operating profit. He said he expects the market to suffer until a visa system opens up the borders.

Hornbuckle said decisions to sell off assets in recent months have put the company in a stronger position to weather the economic crisis.

“We feel secure in knowing we have the opportunity to play safe, play the long game, and ultimately protect all of these jobs not only here but throughout the other states,” he said.

Asked when the resorts would open in the U.S., Hornbuckle said “when it’s safe.” He noted that business travel that makes up a large portion of MGM’s business is at a virtual standstill, with many events being postponed until the latter half of the year.

“We won’t necessarily want to be the first to open,” he said. “We’ll open this intelligently and hopefully with some forethought.”

— Michelle Rindels, 4/2/20 at 7:45 p.m.

Caesars Entertainment says it will furlough 90 percent of employees, says move is ‘critical to the future of our company’

Caesars Entertainment said Thursday that it is reducing its workforce to the lowest levels needed to keep up basic operations and expects 90 percent of its employees will be furloughed.

The company had previously announced that employees would be provided pay for the first two weeks of the closure but maintain health benefits through June 30 or when they return to work — whichever comes sooner. Furloughed staff will remain employees of the company.

“We are taking difficult but necessary steps to protect the company’s financial position and its ability to recover when circumstances allow us to reopen,” Caesars Entertainment CEO Tony Rodio said in a statement. “The Company entered this crisis with strong operating performance, which, combined with the steps we are taking now, are critical to the future of our company.”

Caesars is moving forward with a merger with Eldorado Resorts, although CNBC reports the deal is expected to close later than the originally planned April date.

The company has about 65,000 employees. In Nevada, the company includes Caesars Palace, Bally’s, the Paris, the Flamingo, the Rio and other resorts in Las Vegas, as well as Harrah’s and Harvey’s in Lake Tahoe.

By contrast, employees of Wynn Resorts and the Las Vegas Sands will be paid into May, executives at those two casino companies announced on Thursday.

Gov. Steve Sisolak has extended the closure of non-essential businesses, including casinos, until the end of April. It began in mid-March.

— Michelle Rindels, 4/2/20 at 6:15 p.m.

Asylum seeker with underlying health conditions released from ICE detention in Henderson after ACLU sues

One of the ICE detainees who is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Nevada has been released after the group raised concerns that his underlying health conditions could make him susceptible if there were an outbreak of COVID-19.

Christopher Njingu, a 51-year-old citizen of Cameroon who is seeking asylum after a civil war in his home country, was released on his own recognizance Thursday from the Henderson Detention Center, according to his lawyer, Enedina Kassamanian.

“He is elated. Just in tears, over the moon to be released,” Kassamanian said in an interview. “I do think [his release] was probably from pressure of the ACLU lawsuit.”

The lawsuit filed on Tuesday in federal court said that Njingu has hypertension and high cholesterol. Of the 34 deaths COVID-19 reported in Southern Nevada so far, more than one-third had hypertension as an underlying condition.

The other plaintiff, 45-year-old Mexican citizen Daniel Ramirez, remains detained. 

ACLU attorneys argued that spread of the virus within the detention facility could be more than medical staff could handle, and that detainees held on civil immigration matters were entitled to conditions superior to those detained on criminal matters.

Kassamanian said Njingu would likely transfer his case to the Washington, D.C. area, where his family is living. She said he’s better off than when he was in detention and in close proximity to other inmates.

“He remains at risk, but at least now he’ll have proper ability to stay six feet away,” she said. “Health wise, at least he’ll be able to protect himself.”

— Michelle Rindels, 4/2/20 at 5:40 p.m.

Hundreds of thousands of masks, gloves being delivered to Nevada through national stockpile, state task force

Rep. Mark Amodei and a private-sector Nevada task force have announced they have secured hundreds of thousands of items of personal protective equipment.

Amodei on Thursday said the state was receiving a shipment from the Strategic National Stockpile that includes more than 60,000 N95 masks, 144,000 surgical masks and more than 31,000 face shields. He said delivery started a few days ago and that the supplies will be distributed to Nevada health care facilities in accordance with Gov. Steve Sisolak’s directions.

“While we can never say mission accomplished, these additional PPE supplies will help alleviate some of the frontline challenges our doctors, nurses, and health care professionals have been facing here in Nevada,” the congressman said in a statement, thanking federal agencies including Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for facilitating the donation.

He also said he expected a shipment within the next week of 15 Abbott ID NOW testing devices, which provide a COVID-19 test result within minutes.

Beyond the federal shipment, the Nevada COVID-19 Response, Relief and Recovery Task Force led by former MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren announced that to date, it has helped secure the delivery of 241,000 N95 or equivalent masks, 700,000 surgical masks and 100 gallons of hand sanitizer.

Murren said in a statement that the task force “continues to pursue other global leads on PPE” and expects another 750,000 N95 masks in the next 10 days. 

“We could not have made this incredible progress without the necessary funds to purchase these supplies,” Murren said. “The generosity of our donors has made this possible.”

A task force spokeswoman said the shipment did not include previously announced donations of millions of items of PPE by the Las Vegas Sands, or the shipment from the national stockpile.

— Michelle Rindels, 4/2/20 at 3:54 p.m. (updated at 5:30 p.m. to reflect task force figures include Wynn donation)

Absent national push, Reno Mayor Schieve calls for city residents to start wearing masks

Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve is now asking for every city resident to start wearing a cloth mask, scarf, bandana or other face coverings should they choose to leave their homes, a move that comes as state and local leaders continue to grapple with the possible long-term health effects of the coronavirus pandemic. 

During a virtual press conference Thursday, Schieve said in part that “this is not the time to be vain,” and that now is the time “to really stress how severe this situation is, especially over the next month.”

“I know that people might say, ‘Hey, that mayor is crazy,’ but I would much rather be crazy and protect our citizens the best that we can,” Schieve said. 

Schieve said the request is just that, a request, but absent recommendations from federal health authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she said she wanted to “take every precaution we possibly can.”

“A lot of people have said, ‘well it’s just the flu,’ — it’s not the flu,” Schieve said. “It’s 10 times more contagious than the flu, and not only that, we have a vaccine for the flu.”

She added that the use of N95 masks, which have been shown to be able to effectively filter the airborne particles that carry the coronavirus, should be reserved for health workers and first responders and, if available, donated to those workers instead. 

Schieve also called on those Nevadans who can stitch their own cloth masks to do so and joked that anyone who has gone to the Burning Man festival should already be readily equipped with a suitable bandana. 

Schieve also briefly addressed several transparency issues from the Washoe County Health District, which refused to brief officials on worst-case scenarios Wednesday after a news report regarding those scenarios appeared in the Reno Gazette-Journal. 

The mayor said she didn’t know why the information was withheld, but added, “This is the time to be incredibly honest with the public.”

“I don’t want to make anyone panic, and maybe that’s their reasoning,” Schieve said. “But I think that people right now should be very vigilant and take this seriously. I think if we are not getting that kind of information from the health department, then it’s really hard for us to make the best decisions possible.”

— Jacob Solis, 4/2/20 at 3:49 p.m.

Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts to continue paying employees amid shutdown

Two of the major casino operators in Southern Nevada — Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts — will continue paying their employees into May despite a nationwide shutdown of the legal gambling industry.

Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson wrote in an op-ed for the New York Post on Wednesday that he will continue to pay “every one of our nearly 10,000 employees as though they were still working,” including making up for lost tips. He called on fellow business executives to continue paying their employees for as long as they can to lessen the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To my fellow corporate executives who are looking at spreadsheets and trying to ­determine the impact this crisis will have on sales and share prices, let me say: Our job as business leaders is now as simple as it is challenging,” he wrote in the op-ed. “It is to maximize the number of employees and their families that we can help — and help them for as long as possible.”

On Thursday, Wynn Resorts announced it would continue paying all salaried, hourly and part-time employees through May 15, including an estimated tip amount for tipped employees. The company said the decision would affect more than 15,000 employees.

"It is our shared responsibility to follow the direction of health and safety professionals to stay home, and limit social contact," Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox said in a statement.  "We owe it to each other, our families and to our community."

— Riley Snyder, 4/2/20 at 12:33 p.m.

Horsford, House Democrats publish schedule for federal government’s COVID-19 assistance checks

The Internal Revenue Service will begin making direct COVID-19 assistance payments to Americans beginning April 13, with plans to begin mailing paper checks in May to low-income individuals who do not have direct deposit information on file with the federal tax agency.

The schedule and details for the payments — $1,200 for every adult, $500 per child with diminishing payments for individuals with incomes over $75,000 or $150,000 for joint filers — was reported Thursday by Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford’s office, which said he and his colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee had requested more details on the payments from the IRS and Department of Treasury.

The first payments will begin on the week of April 13 to the roughly 60 million Americans with direct deposit information on file with the IRS from the previous two tax years. 

Then, the IRS will begin sending paper checks to individuals in May, with about 5 million checks sent out per week and directed to low-income individuals first. The agency expects it could take up to 20 weeks to get all of the checks sent out, but said individuals will be able to fill out a future “simple tax return” with the IRS to receive their payment through a direct deposit.

Individuals who receive Social Security payments and do not file tax returns will not need to file any additional return. Any individuals who do not file returns will be able to fill out the forthcoming “simple tax return” that contains baseline information such as name, Social Security number, dependents and deposit information to receive their payment.

Horsford’s office also said that the IRS plans to create a web portal by late April or early May that will allow taxpayers to check the status of their rebate payment, or change their direct deposit information.

— Riley Snyder, 4/2/20 at 9:42 a.m.

Nevada unemployment claims increase by more than 71,400

More than 71,400 Nevada workers filed initial unemployment claims with the state last week, as unemployment rates skyrocketed around the nation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The data, which was reported in a Thursday release by the federal Department of Labor, reported the initial claims filed during the week ending on March 28 had decreased slightly from the previous week, but combined show more than 163,700 new unemployment claims being filed in the state over the last two weeks.

Together, the claims filed in the last two weeks make up about 11.4 percent of the state’s seasonally adjusted workforce.

Nationally, more than 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment for the week ending March 28, which marked the highest level of seasonally adjusted initial claims in the history of the seasonally adjusted series.

Nevada felt initial economic pain when Gov. Steve Sisolak on March 20 ordered the closure of the state’s casino industry and later a “nonessential” business shutdown to mitigate spread of the virus.

Per the initial federal data, Nevada was one of only four states that saw its number of weekly claims decrease last week, joining Minnesota, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. 

— Riley Snyder, 4/2/20 at 8:30 a.m.

Humboldt County reports two more coronavirus cases

Humboldt County officials announced two more cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the countywide total to seven. According to county officials, 70 people have been tested for the virus and results are pending for 10 patients.

With the additional cases, Humboldt County has now exceeded Washoe County in cases per capita but is behind Clark County.

— Megan Messerly, 4/1/20 at 7:32 p.m.

Washoe County up to 163 cases of coronavirus, up by 20

Washoe County officials reported 20 new cases of the novel coronavirus Wednesday evening, bringing the countywide total to 163.

There are 141 active cases of coronavirus in the county, 18 recoveries and four deaths.

— Megan Messerly, 4/1/20 at 6:09 p.m.

Washoe County officials describe 'alternative housing' options for people who can't safely isolate at home

Washoe County leaders on Wednesday described their plans to provide alternative housing to people affected by COVID-19 who cannot safely self-isolate at home.

State Sen. Julia Ratti, who is a Washoe County Health District employee, said the county is setting up trailers for general housing, where each unit comes equipped with a bed and bathroom. At full build out, the general housing could accommodate 300 people, she said. The county’s incident management team is working on plans for food service, security and staffing at the general housing site.

County officials are also working on supportive housing with about 43 beds for people who need more assistance, she said. The supportive housing units will come with three meals a day, a case manager and an advanced practice registered nurse

These housing options will be for people with symptoms of COVID-19 or those who have received a positive diagnosis and need a safe place to isolate. That includes everyone from a person experiencing homelessness to a college student living in a house with a grandparent who’s part of a high-risk demographic, Ratti said. Referrals will be made by the health district, hospitals, nonprofits and through the COVID-19 call center.

“We anticipate an increasing need for this type of housing,” Ratti said. “Our goal is to reduce the number of individuals who are exposed to COVID-19 by rapidly helping individuals who cannot safely isolate.”

Last month, the City of Reno opened the Reno Events Center for people experiencing homelessness. Portable restrooms with hand sanitizer have been placed around Washoe County as well.

Ratti said the county also plans to deploy hand-washing stations as soon as outdoor temperatures allow.

— Jackie Valley, 4/1/20 at 4:25 p.m.

Outdoor parking lot shelter for homeless to close after Catholic Charities shelter reopens

A cement outdoor parking lot that was characterized as a temporary homeless shelter will close on Thursday, officials from the City of Las Vegas and Clark County announced.

Sleeping spaces in a parking lot at Cashman Center, which were opened after a Catholic Charities shelter closed last week when a man tested positive for the novel coronavirus, were used by 591 homeless individuals over four nights. The Catholic Charities shelter has now reopened, local government officials said.

Construction is still ongoing on an isolation and quarantine complex inside Cashman Center, which will have the capacity to care for at least 350 homeless individuals amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The complex, which is slated to begin receiving patients on Monday at 6 p.m., will have separate areas for people who are quarantined because they have been exposed to the virus and those who are in isolation because they have tested positive but no symptoms.

Local government officials say homeless patients will be given resources and a case plan to help them transition from homelessness while at the isolation and quarantine complex. Clark County is overseeing the funding and construction of the facility, while the City of Las Vegas is overseeing operations and security. The facility is being jointly funded by both entities.

— Megan Messerly, 4/1/20 at 4:08 p.m.

Fourth person dies of COVID-19 in Washoe County

Washoe County health authorities on Wednesday announced a fourth death linked to coronavirus — a male in his 40s who had an underlying health condition.

Washoe County Health Officer Kevin Dick said the region extends its condolences to the man’s family and loved ones. His death brings the statewide fatality toll to 32.

Washoe County has reported 143 cases and 13 recoveries. Of the county’s active cases, 20 patients have required hospitalizations, Dick said. Washoe County officials expect to release updated case numbers later Wednesday.

— Jackie Valley, 4/1/20 at 2:43 p.m.

Board of Examiners recommends sending more than $6.2 million to state’s emergency management division for coronavirus response

The state Board of Examiners — comprised of the governor, attorney general and secretary of state — recommended that the state’s Interim Finance Committee move more than $6.2 million from the state’s Disaster Relief Account to the Division of Emergency Management Wednesday, the latest step by state leaders to fund the ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Part of that money, $1.25 million, will be a contribution toward federal emergency management funds, while the remaining $5 million will go to the emergency management division for the acquisition of emergency supplies and the “immediate assistance” of state, local, county and tribal governments. 

The recommended allocation amounts to roughly half of the more than $12 million already in the state’s Disaster Relief Account. 

The Interim Finance Committee is scheduled to meet next on April 16. 

— Jacob Solis, 4/1/20 at 2:25 p.m.

Gov. Sisolak requests ‘Major Disaster Declaration’ from Trump Administration

Gov. Steve Sisolak issued a request for a Major Disaster Declaration from the White House Tuesday, a request that would open up additional avenues for federal assistance under the existing national emergency proclamation. 

In a release, the governor’s office said the request would include additional public assistance funding, including disaster-related unemployment assistance, legal services, crisis counseling and training programs and mass care and emergency assistance. 

Issued through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Major Disaster Declarations require state governors to take certain steps, including declaring their own states of emergency, before receiving access to federal resources. 

The Trump Administration has not yet approved Nevada’s request, though other states reported waiting two days for their own approvals. 

More than two dozen states across the U.S. have already had their own requests for such a declaration approved, while several others have also filed pending requests over the last week. 

Nevada’s full, 41-page request is available here. 

— Jacob Solis, 4/1/20 at 12:38 p.m.

SEIU Local 1107 condemns county decision to suspend collective bargaining agreements

The Service Employees International Union Local 1107 released a statement Wednesday blasting Clark County Manager Yolanda King for suspending collective bargaining agreements.

The union, which represents health care and public service employees, said the decision affects nearly 9,000 workers and their families, including some at University Medical Center.

“Ms. King’s decision to strip away collective bargaining agreements for thousands of workers is dangerous and reactive,” union officials said in a statement. “With Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shortages in Nevada and across the country, our frontline heroes now must contend with doing their jobs safely, while also fearing for their livelihood.”

The union went on to demand that the Clark County Commission reverse the decision. 

“It is clear that Ms. King is out of touch with the workforce and the needs of Clark County and UMC,” officials wrote.  “This decision is unacceptable - a betrayal and blatant attack against frontline healthcare and public workers.”

Clark County’s emergency declaration on March 15 included a line noting that “certain administrative functions require flexibility in staffing levels and assignments normally addressed in collective bargaining agreements and merit personnel systems.”

County officials say the action Is designed to make the government more nimble during this period.

“We are thankful for our employees’ selfless dedication to public service and appreciate all that they do,” County spokesman Erik Pappa said in a statement. “But current emergency conditions require that we suspend all collective bargaining agreements to allow us to more quickly change employees’ schedules and take other steps to make us all safer while providing critical services to our community. This was one of many necessary measures that we have used to make the County more responsive during this extraordinary time.”

Metro Police has also given employees notice that their collective bargaining agreements will be suspended.

— Jackie Valley, 4/1/20 at 12:30 p.m. and updated at 7:15 p.m.

Clark County secures up to 1,000 beds across hotels, motels, warehouses for coronavirus patients

Officials in Clark County announced Wednesday they had secured space for up to 1,000 beds for coronavirus patients across a dozen private facilities. Those facilities include local hotels, motels, warehouses, convention spaces and surgical centers. 

Officials say the new space will supplement planned expansion of Southern Nevada Health District facilities, which is expected to serve up to 40 patients at a time. 

The move comes ahead of a likely shortage of medical supplies and facilities should the coronavirus outbreak rapidly worsen. Medical experts say a widespread shortage of hospital beds could hamper efforts at treating the worst cases — an outcome already playing out across the world’s worst-hit coronavirus hotspots. 

— Jacob Solis, 4/1/20 at 11:31 a.m.

Board of Regents delay searches for chancellor, UNR, UNLV presidents

The Board of Regents announced Wednesday that it will delay ongoing searches for permanent presidents at the state’s two flagship universities, as well as a new chancellor to replace Thom Reilly. 

The announcement comes as the spread of the novel coronavirus has ground many of the normal operations of the state’s colleges and universities to a halt. 

In an email sent to the search committees Wednesday, Board Chair Jason Geddes and Vice Chair Jason Doubrava confirmed the presidential searches would be pushed to September, while the search for a new chancellor would be moved to June. 

In the interim, the regents will mull short-term solutions at an emergency meeting next week to keep acting UNLV President Marta Meana and Reilly on board and extend their contracts through the end of 2020. They will also consider appointing an acting president to succeed UNR’s Marc Johnson, who told regents that he cannot remain in his post past the summer.

The news comes on the heels of an announcement by former Gov. Brian Sandoval that he would leave his post at MGM Resorts International in order to apply for the job at UNR.

UNLV has long been without a permanent president following the sudden ouster of former President Len Jessup in 2018. Johnson and Reilly, meanwhile, had given plenty of advance notice; both had announced their respective retirements several months ago, and regents had originally planned to appoint replacements by the summer. 

— Jacob Solis, 4/1/20 at 10:54 a.m.

Five more cases confirmed in rural Nevada

Northern Nevada health officials confirmed four new cases of the novel coronavirus Wednesday, including three in Carson City and one in Lyon County, while another new case was reported in Nye County. 

The new numbers bring the case total in the Carson City-Lyon-Douglas-Storey County region to 16, and the total in Nye County to six. 

The new cases in Carson City include a man in his 50s, an 18-year-old with close contact to another confirmed case and a woman in her 40s. The new Lyon County case is a woman in her 70s, and the case in Nye County was identified in Pahrump.  

All four Northern Nevada cases are self isolating at home and are in stable condition. No additional information was available for the case in Nye County.  

— Jacob Solis, 4/1/20 at 10:35 a.m.

Number of confirmed coronavirus cases surges to 1,279, total dead rises to 31

The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus statewide rose by 166 Wednesday morning, pushing the caseload to 1,279. 

Five more deaths also were reported in Clark County, increasing the number killed by the virus to 31. It raises the mortality rate slightly to 2.4 percent statewide and 2.9 percent in Clark County, which has recorded 28 deaths. With testing remaining limited and the true scope of infections unknown, however, the mortality rate is likely unrepresentative.  

The increase in confirmed cases — at least 100 new cases have been reported each day over the last week — comes both as testing capacity ramps up and as the virus continues to spread. Increases remain most concentrated in populous Clark County, which has seen confirmed cases surge by 25 percent in two days, and deaths double in three days.  

The state has so-far tested 12,798 people for coronavirus, with roughly 10 percent of those tests coming back positive. 

— Jacob Solis, 4/1/20 at 8:52 a.m.

New Sisolak directive extends grace periods for expiring licenses and permits issued by state, locals

A new emergency directive by Gov. Steve Sisolak will grant extensions and longer grace periods for any set-to-expire license or permit issued by state or local authorities.

The order, issued late Tuesday night, allows for any license or permit issued by state authorities that is due to expire after the initial state of emergency declaration on March 12 to receive a 90-day extension from its current expiration date or 90 days after the state of emergency is lifted, whichever is later. 

“Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Nevada residents are facing restricted travel and should not be penalized for doing the right thing and staying home,” Sisolak said in a statement. “With this order, Nevadans don’t have to worry about losing legal rights while they focus on staying healthy.”

The order also applies to any expiring business license that was scheduled be renewed after March 12, and allows the payment of any business license fee owed to the state to be paid within 60 days after the state of emergency is lifted. It also extends the statute of limitations on any filing of legal action or notice to 30 days after the state of emergency is lifted. 

The order comes a day after the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs' Association announced a joint agreement between the 17 county sheriffs that any and all concealed carry firearm permits that expire on or after March 12 will be extended until July 15, because of police agencies rolling back operations to mitigate spread of the virus.

Directive 009 by Riley Snyder on Scribd

— Riley Snyder, 3/31/20 at 8:37 p.m.

State asks tow operators to limit operations amid “overzealous” complaints from HOAs

At least two Nevada state agencies are asking tow truck operators to limit operations to “essential” functions amid multiple complaints of “overzealous” homeowner associations.

Both the state’s HOA ombudsman and Nevada Transportation Authority Chair Dawn Gibbons issued advisory statements on Tuesday warning tow operators — declared an “essential” business and allowed to operate during the COVID-19 business shutdown — that they should limit operations to “essential services.”

“The governor’s office advises that it has received complaints of overzealous enforcement of parking regulations at residential complexes leading to burdensome costs for citizens attempting to live under the virus mandates,” Gibbons wrote in a notice. “I remind all tow car carriers that their designation as essential services during this period of the virus comes with certain responsibilities. As an essential service, you should make every attempt during these times to limit your services to those that are in fact essential.”

Gibbons wrote that essential services should be limited to things like a vehicle blocking a fire hydrant, fire lane, parked in a handicap reserved space or parked in a space “clearly marked” for a specific resident or unit in a residential complex.

Charvez Foger, the ombudsman for the Real Estate Division’s HOA agency, also sent out a notice to all homeowner association boards urging them to dial down enforcement of parking or other violations given the larger number of families “hunkering down together in an effort to comply with guidance from the governor’s office.

“During this unprecedented time, many Nevadans are currently and/or will be struggling to make ends meet,” he wrote in the letter. “The added cost and inconvenience of having their vehicle towed could be especially detrimental.”

Foger specifically asked HOAs to pause any towing or fines caused by a household’s attempt to follow social distancing guidelines, such as parking too many cars on a street or in a driveway.

Nevada has nearly 3,000 homeowner associations statewide.

— Riley Snyder, 3/31/20 at 7:29 p.m.

DETR expects unemployment expansion guidelines from Labor Department in coming days

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation announced Tuesday that it had entered into an agreement with the Department of Labor this weekend to begin expanding unemployment insurance benefits to workers not typically covered by the program. 

Last week, Congress extended unemployment insurance to cover independent contractors, gig workers, part-time workers and self-employed workers as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The federal bill could also increase weekly unemployment benefit coverage, regardless of worker classification, by $600 and extend coverage by 13 weeks. 

But the state agencies are awaiting guidelines on how to implement the expanded program, even as independent contractors are eager to apply. In a press release Tuesday, DETR said that the programs are not yet available but encouraged contractors to monitor a web link.

“I am pleased to see that we are one step closer to being able to address the needs of  independent contractors and others who historically have not been covered under our traditional unemployment system,” Tiffany Tyler-Garner, DETR’s director, said in a statement. 

Although she called the agreement “the first essential step in getting the required funding and administering the programs,” Tyler-Garner said that the agency expected “to face new complexities that come with launching a new program.”

The press release said DETR expects to receive guidance on implementation from the Department of Labor “in the coming days.”

— Daniel Rothberg, 3/31/20 at 6:34 p.m.

Two Pahrump residents test positive for COVID-19; Nye County up to four cases

Two women in Pahrump have tested positive for COVID-19, Nye County officials reported Tuesday evening, driving the number of positive cases in the county up to four.

The cases included a woman in her 60s and another woman in her 70s, both residents of Pahrump who are in quarantine. Earlier on Tuesday, the county reported another positive COVID-19 case, a man in his 40s in Amargosa Valley.

“Emergency Services is continuing to investigate the source of the infection for all three patients and retracing their movements for the past few weeks,” county spokesman Arnold Knightly said in a press release. “The public is urged to follow the governor’s guidance and Stay Home For Nevada.”

The county’s first case was reported last week in Beatty. The patient has recovered after a period of self-isolation.

— Riley Snyder, 3/31/20 at 6:27 p.m.

Rural Humboldt County up to five confirmed COVID-19 cases, high-risk people asked to shelter in place

The number of positive COVID-19 cases in rural Humboldt County has risen to five, county officials announced on Tuesday.

The county reported that two cases were confirmed Tuesday, another two were confirmed on Saturday and the county’s first case was confirmed last Thursday. The county has tested 60 people for the virus, with nine cases pending.

“Humboldt County residents should limit movement outside the home to essential activities only,” Humboldt County Health Officer Charles Stringham said in a press release. “People at high risk, including people over 60, people with underlying health conditions, people with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women, should shelter in place now.”

Humboldt General Hospital is asking any available retired or otherwise available health care providers to reach out if they’re able to join hospital staff on a temporary basis. Humboldt County has a population of about 16,500.

— Riley Snyder, 3/31/20 at 6:01 p.m.

Washoe County up to 143 COVID-19 cases, 20 individuals hospitalized

Washoe County reported an additional 22 cases of COVID-19 in the county on Tuesday afternoon, bringing the county’s total number of reported cases up to 143 with 20 individuals requiring hospitalization.

The county also reported through its interagency Regional Information Center that three individuals have reported recovering fully from the novel coronavirus, bringing the number of recoveries up to 13. It also reported that two additional Reno Police Department officers and a Truckee Meadows firefighter have tested positive for the virus.

The county has also established temporary housing on the corner of Mill Street and Edison Way to “serve the needs of individuals/families who have tested positive for COVID-19 and need alternative housing for isolation purposes.” Seven units, each with five rooms, are expected to be ready by as early as the end of this week.

— Riley Snyder, 3/31/20 at 4:48 p.m.

City of Las Vegas, Clark County announce construction of tents for homeless in need of quarantine, isolation at Cashman Center

Amid an outcry that Las Vegas was using a cement outdoor parking lot as a temporary homeless shelter, the city of Las Vegas and Clark County said in a press release on Tuesday that construction was beginning on an isolation and quarantine complex (ISO-Q Complex) that would include tents. 

The complex is expected to open on April 6, and it will include at least three separate areas for individuals exposed to the coronavirus, individuals who test positive and individuals who test positive but are asymptomatic. The facility will have at least 350 beds, and the press release said that half of the beds will be used for isolation, while another half will be used for quarantine.

According to the press release, homeless individuals “in need of quarantine will need a referral from a local shelter partner.” The facility will consist of tents, each one with staff and security. The press release did not say how many tents will be constructed. 

Clark County plans to fund the construction of the ISO-Q Complex, according to the press release, but the city will be responsible for operations, including security. The city also plans to provide water to the facility and a sewer connection. Individuals in quarantine and individuals in isolation because they tested positive will have separate restrooms and sleeping areas. 

The press release did not provide additional details about how city and county officials plan to address the broader homeless population.

— Daniel Rothberg, 3/31/20 at 1:21 p.m.

Las Vegas Sands announces donation of 2 million medical masks, 20,000 protective suits

Las Vegas Sands is donating personal protective equipment to help protect first responders, medical professionals and non-profit groups responding to the coronavirus pandemic and in need of additional resources.

Through the donation announced on Tuesday, Nevada and New York will each receive one million medical masks, according to a press release from the company. Additionally, Nevada hospitals and first responders will receive 20,000 protective suits.

“Hopefully our donations will help protect people on the front lines so they can continue their invaluable work, and we can start to see the numbers of people affected begin to diminish,” Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson said in a statement.

The move comes one day after former MGM CEO Jim Murren, who is leading the new COVID-19 task force, said the state would need hundreds of thousands of units — and in some cases, millions of units — to bridge a supply gap for certain types of protective equipment.

Other gaming companies have also donated protective equipment for health care responders in Las Vegas. Last week, Wynn Resorts announced a donation of 240,000 N95 respirator masks, 600,000 surgical masks and 500,000 medical gloves.

Las Vegas Sands, in its press release on Tuesday, said that it had previously donated 105,000 masks to medical professionals and first responders in Las Vegas.

— Daniel Rothberg, 3/31/20 at 11:31 a.m.

Southern Nevada Health District to notify people with texts, emails about exposure to COVID-19 patients

Southern Nevada health officials are launching a system that will notify people through text or email if they are known to have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or traveled to an area that is a hotspot for the disease.

The Southern Nevada Health District announced the new system on Tuesday. It will be targeted to people who are known to have been exposed but are at a lower risk of having COVID-19.

The alert will advise the recipient, based on their circumstances, to monitor their symptoms and possibly to self-quarantine for 14 days. It also links to further information for the recipient.

Some people may receive a phone call in addition to the text or email message.

“As more testing occurs in Southern Nevada and the state, more cases of COVID-19 will be identified and reported,” the agency said in a press release. “Health District staff is continuing to look for resources and solutions to manage the outbreak and provide the community with information.”

Officials noted that the health district has reassigned staff to help with “contact investigations” that identify people at high risk of infection because of their exposure to someone who has tested positive.

— Michelle Rindels, 3/31/20 at 11:37 a.m.

Cases confirmed at Pyramid Lake Paiute reservation, as well as Douglas, Nye counties

The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on the reservation in a press release and issued a “shelter-in-place” order for Wadsworth, Nixon and Sutcliffe. 

The individual, who lives in Sutcliffe, about 45 minutes north of Reno, has underlying medical conditions and is hospitalized. 

“The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe has a responsibility to protect our communities and is deeply concerned for the health and well-being of our people and communities,” tribal leaders said in the press release. “This Shelter in Place action will take effect immediately through April 10, 2020.”

The tribe announced last week Pyramid Lake would be closed “indefinitely” to all non-tribal members for recreational activities, such as fishing. 

Pyramid Lake Fisheries announced Monday that it would not be conducting any spawning of fish, adding that “no fish will be available to Tribal members until further notice.” In an effort to provide greater access to food, however, tribal member Autumn Harry has been catching and giving cutthroat trouts to community members. 

Elsewhere in rural Nevada, officials announced on Tuesday that a sixth person in Douglas County had tested positive for COVID-19. The person is a woman in her 50s who is self-isolating at home.

It marks the 12th confirmed case in the “quad county” region that includes Lyon, Storey, Douglas and Carson City counties.

Nye County also announced a second confirmed case on Tuesday. The patient is a man in his 40s who lives in Amargosa Valley and is self-isolating at home.

— Jazmin Orozco-Rodriguez & Michelle Rindels, 3/31/20 at 10:30 a.m.

SNHD approves spending for temporary lodging structure for those in isolation because of COVID-19

The Southern Nevada Health District’s board has approved spending for a temporary lodging structure, geared toward people affected or displaced by COVID-19, at the health district’s Decatur Boulevard complex.

The board unanimously approved the request for the project, which is estimated to cost $3 million, during a teleconference emergency board meeting. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to pay 75 percent of costs, with the health district and possibly local government agencies picking up the rest of the tab. 

Clark County Commission Chair Marilyn Kirkpatrick, who sits on the health district’s board, said the temporary structure is more cost-effective than what FEMA was offering to do, and will help manage costs to quarantine special populations such as those in assisted living or the homeless. She said sheltering tough-to-house people has at times been costing $1,000 a day.

Acting health district chief Fermin Leguen said people could use the facility for up to the 14 days they would need to quarantine, or for shorter periods of time as they transition out of a hospital.

Plans call for 40 distinct pods in the structure, but other details about the shelter were unclear. District officials couldn’t say whether there would be a bathroom inside each pod, or who would be providing food service.

Leguen said it would be staffed by district staff, temporary staff and volunteers.

Earlier, North Las Vegas City Councilman Scott Black, who chairs the health district’s board, said that the facility could also house visitors to Las Vegas who are unable to safely return home. Its target market would be for people who do not need the level of care provided in a hospital.

“This facility will help achieve the important goal of freeing up hospital beds for the most critical patients,” Black said in an email on Monday.

— Michelle Rindels, 3/31/20 at 10:10 a.m.

Eight additional COVID-19 deaths reported in Southern Nevada; statewide death toll now 26

The Southern Nevada Health District is reporting eight additional deaths stemming from COVID-19.

The agency’s update Tuesday morning reports 23 deaths in Clark County, up from the 15 reported on its site on Monday.

Combined with three reported deaths in Washoe County to date, the statewide death toll is 26.

The health district reported that 22 of its fatal cases had been hospitalized, and 15 had an underlying health condition, with diabetes and hypertension among the most common.

The district has confirmed 869 total Southern Nevada cases as of Tuesday, including 145 patients who were hospitalized, excluding those who have died. Of the hospitalized patients, 27 are in the intensive care unit and 18 are intubated.

— Michelle Rindels, 3/31/20 at 8:30 a.m.

Positive cases jump to 1,113, up more than 100 over 24-hour period

Nevada reports 1,113 people tested positive for COVID-19, up more than 100 from the same time a day earlier.

The latest numbers were reported Tuesday morning by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. On Monday morning, there were 996 positive cases.

With the state reporting 11,794 people tested, about 9 percent of people are turning up positive.

There have been 18 deaths reported.

— Michelle Rindels, 3/31/20 at 7:42 a.m.

Confirmed coronavirus cases statewide rise to 1,044, total deaths remain at 18

The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Nevada rose to 1,044 Monday night, though the total deaths remained at 18, according to the state’s tracking website. 

The state has so-far conducted more than 13,600 tests on 11,400 people, with the vast majority of those tests — just over 10,400 — coming back negative. 

With the number of deaths remaining constant, the mortality rate dipped slightly to 1.6 percent, while the percentage of positive tests remained roughly steady at 9.1 percent. 

— Jacob Solis, 3/30/20 at 8:54 p.m.

Amid shortage, state public health lab in Reno will send 1,000 coronavirus collection kits to Southern Nevada

The Nevada State Public Health Laboratory in Reno will send 1,000 coronavirus collection kits to the Southern Nevada Health District this week amid an ongoing shortage of testing supplies at public health labs in Las Vegas. 

Those collection kits, which are being made at the state health lab, are used to collect the samples that are ultimately analyzed by a testing kit. 

Dr. Mark Pandori, director of the state health lab, told The Nevada Independent that additional collection kits had to be manufactured after hitting “zero supply,” even though the state maintains thousands of test kits on hand. 

Though the state health lab and two private labs have processed more than 2,500 tests each over the month of March, ongoing shortages at the Southern Nevada Health District’s lab have limited its testing capacity to about 500 tests over the same time period. 

At a press briefing Sunday, Gov. Steve Sisolak said the state has yet to receive any testing supplies from the federal government, despite submitting four requests for such equipment. 

— Jacob Solis, 3/30/20 at 6:38 p.m.

Two more Washoe County residents die after contracting COVID-19 bringing statewide deaths to 18

Two more Washoe County residents have died after contracting the novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide death total to 18, county officials announced Monday.

One was a woman in her 30s with an underlying health condition. The other was a woman in her 80s also with underlying health conditions.

Washoe County officials also announced 10 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, bringing the number of confirmed cases countywide to 121. There are 1,008 cases of COVID-19 statewide.

The health district additionally announced that two more people have officially recovered from the novel coronavirus, bringing the total recoveries in the county to 10. There are 109 active cases of COVID-19 in Washoe County.

— Megan Messerly, 3/30/20 at 3:54 p.m., updated at 5:59 p.m.

Two workers at McCarran Airport test positive for coronavirus

The Clark County Department of Aviation announced Monday that two employees at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Officials say both initially self-reported their symptoms, and both remain under self-isolation at home. 

The employees had most recently worked shifts on Thursday and Friday, respectively, though they did not work similar shifts or in similar areas of the airport. 

Officials say their work areas have since been sanitized, and there is no reason to believe that either had any extensive exposure with travelers passing through McCarran. 

— Jacob Solis, 3/30/20 at 5:50 p.m.

Southern Nevada Health District to consider emergency funding for additional COVID-19 health care site

The Southern Nevada Health District Board of Health will consider the construction of an alternate COVID-19 health care site at the health district’s Decatur Boulevard complex at an emergency meeting Tuesday morning.

According to Clark County Commission Chair Marilyn Kirkpatrick, who sits on the health district’s board, the facility will be a one-stop shelter for people who need to be quarantined for 14 days away from the general population but do not require hospital care, such as people who reside in assisted living facilities. The shelter, she said, will be placed behind the Southern Nevada Health District’s existing building.

North Las Vegas City Councilman Scott Black, who chairs the health district's board, said that the facility could additionally be used to house infected homeless individuals and visitors to Las Vegas who are unable to safely return home.

"This facility will help achieve the important goal of freeing up hospital beds for the most critical patients," Black said in an email.

Renderings of the site posted online depict a small freestanding facility with the words “emergency room” on it with 30 individual hospital-style beds inside. Another rendering shows a biocontainment unit pod with a handwritten scribble that indicates health district officials may build five such units at the facility to the tune of $20,000 apiece.

Health district officials estimate that the facility will cost $3 million, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency expected to pay 75 percent of costs. The health district’s portion of the bill is expected to be between $750,000 and $800,000, with local government agencies possibly asked to contribute.

Funding for the project will be considered at the board’s meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

— Megan Messerly, 3/30/2020 at 5:40 p.m., updated at 6:06 p.m. to include additional information from Clark County Commission Chair Marilyn Kirkpatrick and 6:16 p.m. to include additional information from North Las Vegas City Councilman Scott Black

Elko county officials announce two new coronavirus cases, raising total to five

Two more cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed by Elko County health officials Monday, bringing the rural county’s total number of infections to five. 

The news comes after confirmation this afternoon that at least one of those cases is in West Wendover, near the Utah border. 

Officials say both cases, a woman in her 50s with “no remarkable travel history” and a man in his 30s who had close contact with a case from another county, are self isolating at home and remain under investigation.

— Jacob Solis, 3/30/20 at 4:20 p.m. 

Nevada’s U.S. District Courts move to video, teleconferencing for certain hearings amid coronavirus outbreak

Nevada’s federal court system announced today it will shift to videoconferencing and teleconferencing for certain criminal trials in the latest step taken by the justice system to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus at the state’s federal courthouses. 

The shift comes after Congress approved remote hearings in the so-called CARES Act, the first of two coronavirus relief packages to pass through Washington earlier this month. 

Today’s announcement comes after ongoing concerns that the country’s justice system would remain particularly vulnerable to effects from the coronavirus — and after weeks of scrambling from the federal court system’s policy arm to find possible solutions to in-person proceedings.

Nevada’s federal courts had already moved to close public access to the clerk’s office on March 19 in addition to a directive to eliminate in-person hearings “whenever feasible.”

— Jacob Solis, 3/30/20 at 3:25 p.m.

Office of Military assigned with helming Nevada’s COVID-19 response efforts; national guard not yet activated

Nevada’s Office of the Military will now spearhead the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Monday afternoon.

The move aligns the state Division of Emergency Management and the Department of Health and Human Services with the Office of the Military, which is composed of the Nevada Army and Air National Guard, which have more than 4,300 trained military professionals between them. Sisolak has not yet, however, formally activated the national guard for emergency response to the pandemic.

Under the new arrangement, the Office of the Military will be responsible for coordinating activities between the Division of Emergency Management, the Department of Health and Human Services and other state agencies and will report directly to the governor’s office. The office is led by Major General Ondra L. Berry, the adjutant general for the Nevada National Guard who has more than 35 years of military experience and a retired Reno police officer.

Sisolak, in a statement, said he was “proud” of the state’s response so far but that the shift would make the state’s emergency operation “even more organized, responsive, and efficient.”

“Now, more than ever, we must work as a team to deliver locally executed, state managed, and federally supported solutions to the COVID-19 crisis,” Sisolak said. “To be successful across the State – from the smallest town, to every Tribal reservation or colony, to our largest cities – we must utilize every resource we have to act decisively and immediately.”

Sisolak has additionally appointed Caleb Cage, a former chief and homeland security advisor with the Division of Emergency Management, to assist with the state’s COVID-19 response. Cage is currently assistant vice chancellor for workforce development and community colleges for the Nevada System of Higher Education.

The state will continue to provide updates through its Nevada Health Response Center but is putting its daily situation reports on hold during the transition.

 — Megan Messerly, 3/30/20 at 2:42 p.m.

Fourth positive COVID-19 case confirmed in Elko County, first in West Wendover

The small Nevada-Utah border town of West Wendover has confirmed its first positive case of COVID-19, according to Mayor Daniel Corona.

The case is the fourth reported in Elko County, and the first in West Wendover, which has a population of about 4,600. Corona said in a Twitter message that the individual tested positive at a local health clinic and is self-isolating at home.

— Riley Snyder, 3/30/20 at 2:41 p.m.

Nevada COVID-19 cases surpass 1,000

The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Nevada has risen to 1,008, an increase of 84 cases since the last reported statewide total on Sunday.

The state updated its dashboard of confirmed cases on Monday morning to show that it has now tested about 11,215 people and performed 13,349 tests for the virus statewide. The “new” reported tests are likely results from Sunday or even earlier, given the length of time required to complete a test for the virus.

The number of reported deaths caused by COVID-19 is at 16, including one death in Washoe County and 15 deaths in Clark County.

— Riley Snyder, 3/30/20 at 9:57 a.m.

Statewide death total now at 16; Clark County cases up to 753

The number of statewide deaths caused by COVID-19 has risen to 16 individuals, according to data published Monday by the Southern Nevada Health District.

Data published by health officials shows the number of cases in Clark County has risen to 753 cases, including 100 individuals who have been hospitalized and 22 requiring an Intensive Care Unit. Of individuals hospitalized, 23 of them had an underlying medical condition.

Of the 15 deaths reported in Clark County, 13 of the individuals had an underlying medical condition, including six individuals with diabetes and five with hypertension. Washoe County reported its first death from the virus on Sunday; a man in his 40s with recent travel history to New York.

— Riley Snyder, 3/30/20 at 9:04 a.m.

Nevada COVID-19 cases nearly up to 1,000

The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Nevada has risen to 996, an increase of more than 72 cases since the last reported statewide total on Sunday.

The state reported Monday morning that it has now tested about 11,000 people and performed about 13,000 tests for the virus statewide. The “new” reported tests are likely results from Sunday or even earlier, given the length of time required to complete a test for the virus.

The number of reported deaths caused by COVID-19 remained constant at 15.

— Riley Snyder, 3/30/20 at 8:30 a.m.