Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak speaks during a news conference at the Sawyer State Building in Las Vegas,Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Sisolak ordered a monthlong closure of casinos and other non-essential businesses in order to stem the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
Wednesday, March 18, 2020 | 5:10 p.m.
More than two dozen more coronavirus cases have been identified in Clark County, bringing the total to 69, including one death, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.
No details were released about the 27 new cases reported since Tuesday, when the total stood at 42.
The number of people who have tested positive has continued to rise nearly daily since the first case was reported March 5.
The update from the Health District comes a day after Gov. Steve Sisolak took aggressive steps to try to stem the spread of the disease, ordering all Nevada casinos and other nonessential business to close for 30 days.
Officials are urging residents to distance themselves from people and stay out of crowds.
“We absolutely must take this step for every Nevadan’s health and safety,” Sisolak said in ordering the unprecedented business shutdown.
“Please take this seriously. Lives are at stake, and with each passing day, this pandemic is growing. Please, stay home for Nevada,” Sisolak said.
The shutdown, however, is not sitting well with everyone.
At a Las Vegas City Council meeting on Wednesday, Mayor Carolyn Goodman called on Sisolak to shorten it to no more than 10 days, saying anything longer than that will “cripple” the local economy.
“The city of Las Vegas will seek ways for people and businesses to control their own lives, make their own choices, create and follow their own destinies and live being assured they have the right to do so in dignity, earning a living, providing for their families and even helping others to enjoy those same rights and dignities as they can,” Goodman said.
The Health District, meanwhile, urged people to “take steps to protect themselves and others, including those most vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19,” the disease caused by the virus. That includes older people and those with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease, officials said.
