Latest data shows where Clark County residents may have gotten COVID

Clark County residents most frequently visited restaurants, grocery stores and casinos before being diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past month, according to public health data.

That’s according to a list of the county’s most common “possible exposure sites” published on the Southern Nevada Health District’s website.

The data does not show where a person is known to have contracted COVID-19. Instead, it represents where an infected person traveled in the 14 days prior to them becoming symptomatic or getting tested.

An undefined “other” category topped the list with almost 800 possible exposures in the past month. Last year, state health officials said the category represents businesses that do not align with other categories listed.

Following that was “food establishments” with more than 500 possible exposures in the past month, “grocery store” with about 380 and “casino” with 350.

Other top ranking categories included “medical facility,” “work,” “hotel/motel” and “school.”

In February, data showed Clark County residents most frequently visited restaurants, hotels and medical facilities before being diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county has seen a resurgence of disease spread since early June. Hospitalizations among the infected have more than tripled, and the test positivity rate has climbed to 10 percent — double the goal set by the World Health Organization. In Clark County, the two-week positivity rate climbed by 0.6 percentage points Tuesday, reaching 11.3 percent, according to state data.

The possible exposure location data lists broad categories of businesses instead of individual locations. The data is based on voluntary self-reporting by people testing positive during the disease investigation or contact tracing process.

Brian Labus, an epidemiologist and assistant professor with the UNLV School of Public Health, said cases in unvaccinated people are driving the state’s current spike in new COVID-19 infections.

The percentage of eligible Nevadans that have started the vaccination process is around 54 percent, state data shows. Among Clark County residents, its about 55 percent.

Contact Michael Scott Davidson at sdavidson@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Follow @davidsonlvrj on Twitter.