Lab test confirms Sisolak’s COVID-19 diagnosis

CARSON CITY — Gov. Steve Sisolak’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed by a laboratory test, his office announced Monday.

The 66-year-old Sisolak remains in “good spirits” after his diagnosis, which initially came after a rapid test on Friday. The governor has experienced only mild head congestion related to his diagnosis, his office said in a press release Monday.

“I appreciate the outpouring of support and well wishes from Nevadans and those across the country who have taken time to check in on me,” Sisolak in a statement.

“I again want to thank the health officials who assisted me through this process. They serve as a strong reminder of how proud we should all be of our State’s health workers. My focus remains on addressing the record surge the State is currently experiencing and my administration continues to work around the clock to serve Nevadans through this ongoing pandemic.”

Sisolak received a positive result from a rapid test, also called antigen tests, for the coronavirus on Friday. The positive result from a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test was announced Monday. Those tests detect genetic material and require processing in a laboratory.

Sisolak will remain isolated as he monitors his symptoms. He is receiving daily monitoring from the local health authority as well as check-ins from a local physician, his office said.

Any of his staff members deemed close contacts via contact tracing will remain quarantined per CDC guidelines and will be required to have a negative test in order to return to the office. All public events for the governor have been canceled, but the governor has been working with his staff and Cabinet remotely.

Two governor’s office staffers, including COVID-19 response director Caleb Cage, have tested positive for the virus since October.

“The Governor’s Office has followed all public health and safety protocols including temperature checks, wearing face coverings, social distancing and strict hygiene procedures,” the press release said.

Speaking to reporters about his diagnosis last week, Sisolak said that it “puts a spotlight” on how bad the spread is in the state in that even taking significant precautions may not prevent a person from coming down with the virus, and he stressed that people need to remain vigilant in following the guidelines on social distancing and mask wearing.

The state and much of the country have seen one of the worst surges of the pandemic in recent weeks. On Saturday, Nevada recorded a new record high number of cases in a single day at 2,269.

During a press conference last week before his diagnosis was announced, Sisolak urged Nevadans to stay home as much as possible to stem the spread of the virus in an effort he called “Stay at Home 2.0.”

“The fall spike predicted by all medical and scientific experts is now our reality,” Sisolak said at a news conference. “Nevadans need to accept and understand this reality now and change behaviors immediately. In the next two weeks, we must see a significant reversal of the current trends which are deeply concerning now.”

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.