Number of Las Vegas Visitors Testing COVID-19 Positive Rises
Posted on: August 10, 2020, 02:42h.
Last updated on: August 11, 2020, 09:56h.
More people visiting Las Vegas are testing positive for the coronavirus, the latest alarming statistic regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in tourism-dependent Nevada.
The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reports a substantial increase in the number of out-of-staters who are becoming infected with the virus, either while still in the Silver State, or upon returning home.
After 78 days of being closed on his orders, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) allowed casinos to reopen on June 4.
As of July 6, the DHHS reported that only 123 non-residents had tested positive for the coronavirus since the reopening of the state’s economic driver. However, as of July 25, that number swelled to 347 visitors — an increase of 182 percent or 224 positive infections.
California is most responsible for the non-resident positive results, with more than 100. Eighty-nine were from Arizona, and 20 from Texas.
Readers React
Nevada’s COVID-19 confirmed case count stands at 56,972. The coronavirus has been blamed for 963 deaths. Clark County is home to the overwhelming majority of the disease. Cases in the most populated county total 49,151, with 811 deaths.
There doesn’t appear to be a downward trend in the number of daily new cases, nor deaths. Nevada reported its single highest one-day death count on July 29, with 19 deaths. Its highest number of one-day new cases came on July 15, with 1,447 new positive test results.
Casino.org’s recent article generated a passionate response from readers. Some opined that Las Vegas needs to shut down once again. Others insinuated we don’t have our facts straight.
“I don’t know where you got your information, but it’s 100 percent wrong,” reader Joe stated. “Have you even visited any casino? Most of us are at 75 percent capacity or higher. Try some research.”
“Joe” refused to provide his email, and therefore could not be reached for comment. But Nevada is restricting casinos to a maximum 50 percent occupancy. Other readers agreed with our reporting, that Las Vegas is indeed relatively barren compared with the pre-COVID environment.
Our Vegas experience was awful. Closed bars and restaurants, no shows, no room service, deserted streets, 30-minute waits for Ubers, abundance of homeless people, and hotel security guards constantly harassing you over how your face mask fits,” stated Reagen Wilkins.
“Close back down!!!” added Robin Glass. “Every day I see restaurants full, no one abiding by wearing masks. We will never get rid of COVID-19 until everyone takes this virus seriously!”
Visitation Low
Las Vegas welcomed just a little more than one million visitors in June, the most recently reported month. That’s down 70.5 percent from June 2019.
If more people begin to return to Southern Nevada, there’s, naturally, the concern that more people would result in a further uptick in non-resident positive testing.
“If Nevadans begin to relax their efforts and take this less seriously, this targeted approach will not work and will lead our state backward, which could ultimately lead once again to broad-based closures and limitations. I don’t want that, and neither do all of you,” Sisolak warned last week.
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Last Comments ( 25 )
Testing should be done at the Border of Nevada and California and only then may they enter our state. Especially from California. We have a son living in Riverside and we told him to keep away since he's still working and so is my daughter-in-law. They have both been exposed to covid-19, so what I understanding they're are not able to get re-infected I don't know? I don't understand why people won't wear their masks.
Nevada is is NOT restricting occupancy of hotels/casinos. Hotels can be sold out. Is asked specifically about this, the bosses say it doesn't apply to hotels. They say It only applies to the casino floor based on fire code. Nobody is regulating that though. It's busier now with California closed down than ever before and I've been in the casinos industry for 15 years.
Who is doing the research? How accurate is the research? Are all the deaths verified autopsies caused by covid19 ? How accurate are the covid19 tests? How is it possible to test positive when your not tested? Knowing what we now know about covid-19, isn’t the regular flu much more deadly? Has the media created this hysteria? I could continue. Why? Too many people fail to do the research to learn the actual substantiated facts.
I was there just last weekend and was impressed of how many people were wearing masks. There was enough Purell around to clean the entire state...being handed out. We had fun, kept our distance, and enjoyed your fine state. Understand, if you walk into any grocery store in any state...you would have the same issues. Some not wearing masks, too close to one another, crowding... So all in all....I want to say it seems that Las Vegas was keeping things up pretty well. You have to make the choice...life has to continue on. It is up to you as to what you want to do and how you want to live your life.
No they come here with that shit infecting us, stop letting people come here!!!!!
So does someone who test positive in Nevada and positive from their origin count as one or two positives?
My husband and I stayed at Paris the first week in August and had a good experience. The Vegas experience was different then normal but one would expect that. When we called for room service they knocked and left the items outside the door. Taxis were very clean, readily available and friendly. Of course there were no shows and you know that when you book your stay. Some restaurants were closed but the ones we ate at were super like the staff at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse at Harrahs. Wonderful service and great food! And yes you are reminded to keep your mask on and up as you should be. Everywhere. They were never rude about it but did a good job of informing you why it was necessary. It was a different Vegas experience but we would go again. Hopefully things will improve and get back to normal.
How/when are out of state visitors tested for covid19 for a story like this... before they interact at casinos or as they are leaveing.. are the positive people told if so when? Leaveing las vegas or quarrentined once they arrive? Just very curious please explain..
So let's go with some comments. First, the casino's are handicapped by rules set forth by the state. Some, like the closure of bars really hurt the industry and the perception that potential visitors have of Vegas and if it is worth coming out here for. There are many players/gamblers that only play video poker at the bar and will not come out until they are open. Same with certain drive in crowd from So-Cal and Arizona. Other areas of the casino like closed shows, certain restaurants , and buffets are not as critical to the "current draw" of clientele that is coming as the closure of the bars. Poker rooms is another area that is not critical currently. Sports betting is a very big IF? as it is out of the casino's hands and depends on what each league does. This is a much bigger deal here. From what I have seen and heard, most of the staff is enforcing the mask rule when they can, mask police is what is has become. Certain actions like drinking and smoking increase the risk for catching covid19, and a lot of gamblers do both. Other areas like the pool are a lost cause for mask enforcement and between the chemicals in the pool and the high heat/UV light,, it shouldn't be an issue there. On room occupancy being at 50%, that is a guideline only as casinos go over that amount all the time. 4th of July weekend some of the casino's were at 90%. The companies have been opening up more casino's to help spread the guest around but there is no state enforcement on the 50% rule. The casino's do not make money with low occupancy and will do what they can to skirt this policy. On issue of guests/workers getting sick. The culinary/bartenders Union has been all over the casino's on making sure they follow the rules and they are doing as much as they can to help slow the spread. Unfortunately, due to how employees are called back via seniority, the most vulnerable to covid19, i.e., the oldest staff are the first ones called back into the mix. The least senor are usually the youngest workers and they are currently sitting at home. (Side note- They also are the one's that have children in school which is not going to start in person on August 24th, which is going to further mess up the work environment, but that is another story in itself.) On guest make up and how to increase the amount of people coming here, this is a tricky question. Open up too much activities, and the spread of covid19 will increase, not have enough activities for guest, no one will come. All convention business is pretty much shut down until SHOT show next year, and there is no guarantee that any show will happen next year until next Fall, 2021. SEMA-nov and CES- jan have already cancelled along with a bunch of smaller shows, along with most of the smaller in house shows. The bread and butter of the casinos are the conventions, without them and the retires that come during the week, it will be bleak Monday thru Thursday in the casino's for a long time. Really bad timing for the convention expansion. Overall , not a good situation. I hope that sports does run, if it needs to be with no fans, than so be it. I hope the bars open up as soon as possible, and I hope that people realize that 99%+ of the people that get covid19 survive, most don't even know that they have gotten it. Hope to see all the players soon. Jeremy Disclaimer- My wife works for Freeman, a major company that puts on convention shows. I am writing this as a laid off union bartender sitting at home. My Casino is open, but only with service bars that serve cocktail girls only.
“There doesn’t appear to be a downward trend” Except for the fact that since July 15 we’ve been on a downward trend. Hmm.
A few months ago CDC whistle blowers and the first reports came out challenging the data coming from the field. At that time this was new, and so easy to question. Since then dozens of field practitioners have come forward with reports of massive false positives - typically around 50%, some as high as 90%. Soon after the WH demanded to see the raw data directly, it became clear that the CDC and hospital administrators were laying down rules and practices that drove large numbers of false positive cases and deaths, corroborating what earlier whistle blowers were reporting. The CDC now admits that. If you want to see links to these reports - they are numerous and available. Is there a verifiable reason that the Nevada DHHS data are less bias? If there is then that's a story in itself. Bottom line, all of the corrective actions and draconian measures that are killing jobs, businesses and the global economy - are being driven by false positive data. And, you don't have research too far to see that there are a number of experts close to the action who have a vested interest. The real gotcha though, is why so few of the media are refusing to follow the science and not the mainstream.
It sounds like you obtained your information from the Governor's associates. I have two daughters and some friends who work as nurses in different units in different hospitals in Las Vegas. They all say that the high number of tests to discern if locals have had COVID-19 are being given because employers and other entities require or offer the tests. Almost all these tests are given to those who do not have sypmtoms. All these nurses say that the tests to discern if someone has had COVID-19 too often are positive because of other Coronaviruses, like the common cold. They all know of less than 25 total locals who have tested positive, less than twelve who were ill with symptoms, but only two who were hospitalized for it. The other type of test that actually checks for the 'live' COVID-19 is given to those suspected of having it. All these nurses say that the huge influx of patients who test positive are sent to Las Vegas from AZ and get counted toward Las Vegas' numbers and throw them off. Probably the sick from AZ get counted in NV and in AZ. Of course these nurses cannot give me overall counts or percentages. The counts and percentages you obtained must also be high since the main tests are not accurate and produce false positive results for COVID-19. They all said something similar but one nurse said it the best, "The total deaths we have globally [from COVID-19] are still less than swine flu from 2009. Significantly less. This is all political."
We are in a bad place. Nevada has no state income tax and does not tax food. Relying on a sales tax alone is nice for the rich but is killing revenues for government services, which must be at a trickle. Mining is the only revenue source of consequence but Nevada doesn't get much from that booming sector. The federal help ended in July. Hospitality workers are in financial trouble as they are mostly out of work and that is where the jobs are. Meanwhile we have a uber rich president who has convinced his tribe that the pandemic is no big deal despite the statistics. We need a bank holiday where mortgage payment are on hiatus and rents are not allowed to be collected. We need federal financial help for government services and education funding but that is being opposed by the Republicans. The house passed HEROES act addressed these issues but the Senate majority made up mostly of very rich white men who will feel little pain dithers. We are in a pickle.
Let’s look on the bright side. There’s free parking everywhere!!! :)
I was just there and it was a blast. Good restaurants open. Casinos open. Good precautions but not too much