This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day Saturday, July 4. This story is part of the Reno Gazette Journal’s essential COVID-19 coverage and is being provided for free. Please consider subscribing to the RGJ to support our work.

29 residents and staff from of Nevada Veterans Home have COVID-19

This item has been updated to clarify that 10 residents of the Nevada Veterans Home sick with COVID-19 are in a special unit with an ICU level of care. 

Ten residents of the Northern Nevada State Veterans Home have been moved to a special unit at the Reno VA Hospital that has an ICU level of care. 

They are in stable condition, according to Julie Dudley, communications director for the

Nevada Department of Veterans Services

The Northern Nevada State Veterans Home in Sparks said on Saturday that 15 residents and 14 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. That’s an increase of seven cases since the veterans home last reported on the outbreak on July 1.

Pandemic fatigue: Sacrifices made in last three months could potentially go to waste

Residents are in isolation and staff has been self-quarantined at home.

“We are increasing the frequency of testing from every seven days to at least twice a week to help us get ahead of this and turn it around,” said Mike Ball, an administrator at the veterans home, in a press releases. “Thanks to the Reno VA for continuing to assist with the care of veteran residents, so that our staff can focus on the care of our other veterans and spouses. All residents who tested positive are in stable condition with mild symptoms or asymptomatic.”

Those who tested positive must have two consecutive negative test results before they may transition back from the isolation unit or return to work

More young people testing positive for COVID-19 in Washoe County 

Most people testing positive for COVID-19 in Washoe County are between the ages of 20 and 40, according to new information from the Washoe County Health District on July 4.

The health district reported 92 new cases of COVID-19. It warned that large gatherings should be limited and that while it is young people catching the virus, most of the deaths are from people between 60 and 90.

In Washoe there have been 3,165 confirmed cases and 79 deaths. There have been 1,967 recoveries; 84 people are currently hospitalized.

According to data, most positive cases are people between the ages of 20 and 29.

Of the those who have tested positive: 

• 109 have been under age 10
• 243 are between the ages of 10 and 19
• 680 are between the ages of 20 and 29
• 572 are between 30 and 39
• 478 are between 40 and 49
• 461 are between 50 and 59
• 301 are between 60 and 69
• 191 are between 70 and 79
• 87 are between 80 and 89
• 33 are between 90 and 99
• 3 are 100 or older

The total in the age breakdown does not equal the total number of reported positive cases. The RGJ has a message in to the health district asking about the discrepancy. 

COVID-19 cases jump to 21,575 on July 4

There are 857 new positive Coronavirus cases in Nevada on Saturday. The total now stands at 21,575, up  from 20,718 confirmed cases reported on Friday.

The state is also reporting two deaths from COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the total to 530 deaths statewide.

According to the state dashboard, the number of people with COVID is 52 percent women and 48 percent men.

Hispanics make up nearly 40 percent of the positive cases in the state.

Statistics based on race/ethnicity

• 40 percent Hispanic
• 30 percent white
• 11 percent other
• 9 percent Black
• 8 percent Asian
• 1 percent American Indian/Alaska Native

Statistics based on age

• Just under 3 percent are children under 10.
• 7 percent are between the ages of 10-19
• 20 percent are between the ages of 20-29.   
• 19 percent are between 30-39.
• 17 percent are between 40-49.
• 15 percent are between 50-59.
• 10 percent are between 60-69.
• 9 percent are over the age of 70.

10 residents of Nevada Veterans Home in Sparks in ICU

Ten residents of the Northern Nevada State Veterans Home have been moved to ICU at the Reno VA Hospital.

They are in stable condition, according to Julie Dudley, communications director for the

Nevada Department of Veterans Services

The Northern Nevada State Veterans Home in Sparks said on Saturday that 15 residents and 14 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. That’s an increase of seven cases since the veterans home last reported on the outbreak on July 1.

Pandemic fatigue: Sacrifices made in last three months could potentially go to waste

Residents are in isolation and staff has been self-quarantined at home.

“We are increasing the frequency of testing from every seven days to at least twice a week to help us get ahead of this and turn it around,” said Mike Ball, an administrator at the veterans home, in a press releases. “Thanks to the Reno VA for continuing to assist with the care of veteran residents, so that our staff can focus on the care of our other veterans and spouses. All residents who tested positive are in stable condition with mild symptoms or asymptomatic.”

Those who tested positive must have two consecutive negative test results before they may transition back from the isolation unit or return to work

Washoe has 1,129 active cases; set record for new cases on Thursday, then again on Friday

Washoe County set back-to-back records Thursday and Friday with what is a trend in growing confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

In Washoe County there are currently 1,129 active cases. Active cases have more than doubled since June 3, when they were at 554. 

Since March, 3,073 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Washoe County.

There were also two more deaths on Friday, bringing the number of people who have died from COVID-19 to 79.

The cases included a woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions and a man in his 60s with no known previous health conditions. 

On Thursday, the county’s 119 new positive cases was a record. On Friday it climbed again with 150 positive cases reported

More than 100 cases have been reported in four of the last eight days. 

The new record came on the eve of the July 4 holiday, a day that is traditionally known for large gatherings.

In a release Friday, the Washoe County Health District said, “It’s imperative that residents be responsible in the Independence Day celebrations.” 

The health district is warning that the curve of positive cases is no longer flat and is trending strongly upward. 

Quad-County reports 11 new cases on Friday

There were 11 new cases of COVID-19 reported on Friday in the Quad-County region, which includes Carson City, Douglas Lyon and Storey counties.

The number of positive cases has climbed to 372, which includes seven deaths.  Of the newly diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, three were under the age of 18. 

11 new cases include

 Lyon County male in his 50’s with no connection to a previously reported case.

Carson City female in her 60’s with no connection to a previously reported case.

Carson City female in her 60’s with no connection to a previously reported case.

Douglas County male in his 70’s with a connection to a previously reported case.

Douglas County male in his 70’s with no connection to a previously reported case.

 Lyon County female in her 20’s with a connection to a previously reported case.

Carson City male in his 30’s with a connection to a previously reported case.

Carson City male under the age of 18 with a connection to a previously reported case.

Lyon County male in his 30’s with no connection to a previously reported case.

Carson City female under the age of 18 with a connection to a previously reported case.

Carson City female under the age of 18 with a connection to a previously reported case.

Siobhan McAndrew tells stories about the people of Northern Nevada and covers education in Washoe County. Read her journalism right here. Consider supporting her work by subscribing to the Reno Gazette Journal. 

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