Clark County woman is state’s second COVID-19 death

The health district said at an earlier news briefing that the state’s second death from the illness caused by the new coronavirus was that of “a woman in her 60s with underlying medical conditions.” No other information on the victim was provided.

“As with any loss of life this is a tragedy and we send our deepest sympathies to her family,” said Dr. Mike Johnson, the district’s director of community health.

Meanwhile, the number of positive tests on the state’s website jumped 14 from Thursday, according to the state’s nvhealthresponse.nv.gov website. It also reported negative results for 2,098 others. These numbers were released early in the day and apparently did not include case numbers provided by the health district late Friday.

More testing for the coronavirus could help paint a fuller picture of its impact on the health of Nevadans, but health district officials said at a midafternoon briefing that a plan for drive-through testing to be overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency had fallen through. The state’s request for additional testing supplies had been “placed on indefinite hold,” Johnson said.

‘A question for FEMA’

Asked why the planned shipment had been withheld, Dr. Fermin Leguen, the health district’s acting chief health officer, replied, “That’s a question for FEMA. Unfortunately we don’t know. We just found out last night.”

In other developments in the state:

— The University of Nevada, Reno announced that one of its students who had been studying abroad has tested positive for COVID-19.

“The student traveled directly home and has not returned to campus,” the university said in a news release. “The student has been following the 14-day mandated self-quarantining protocol.”

— The Washoe County Health District announced four new cases of the virus, bringing its total to 22. It also announced that one resident, a male in his 30s, had fully recovered from COVID-19 and has been released from self-isolation.

— A second case of COVID-19 was reported Friday in Elko County as the coronavirus-caused illness continues to surface in Nevada’s more rural communities.

The county issued a news release saying that it was notified of the new positive test late Thursday by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health. The county’s first positive COVID-19 case was reported earlier in the day.

The release described the new case as involving “a male in his 40s with recent, extensive, international travel history who was tested on March 16 after having symptoms. He is self-isolating at home.”

— Nye County in Southern Nevada declared a state of emergency Thursday after its first case was reported on Wednesday. On Friday county officials said the patient is a male in his 60s who is a resident of Beatty. 

— Carson City Health and Human Services reported a third positive case of COVID-19 in the Quad County region of Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties.

The patient, a man in his 70s, is a Carson City resident. He had close contact with a previously identified COVID-19 case. He is self-isolating at home and is in stable condition, it said. Carson City Health and Human Services is contact tracing and monitoring the patient.

— Nellis Air Force Base also confirmed three new positive COVID-19 cases for a total of four.

Additionally, a member of a geographically separated unit of the 57th Wing stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington has tested positive, the base said in a news release. The 57th Wing, which is based at Nellis, has such units across the U.S.

All service members are being treated and entered isolation at the time of symptom onset. The members will remain in isolation in accordance with CDC protocols.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Contact Mary Hynes at mhynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 on Twitter.