Las Vegas ranked as worst big metro area in the nation for COVID-19 transmission

White House report highlights the Las Vegas metropolitan area

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A report from the White House COVID-19 team ranks the Las Vegas metropolitan area as the worst in the country for transmission of the virus in metropolitan areas of more than 1 million people.

The report lists Las Vegas ahead of Jacksonville, Florida; Miami; Orlando Florida; San Antonio; Phoenix; Kansas City; St. Louis; Tampa, Florida; and New Orleans – the 10 subway areas with the worst COVID-19 transmission right now. The rankings are shown below in the left column:

Clark County is listed again in the report as a “Sustainable Hotspot”. The county was also listed as a hotspot in a July 8 report.

NEW: Clark County, Classified as a Sustainable Hotspot by the White House COVID-19 Team, Nevada scores 10% test positive

A hotspot for new COVID-19 infections is defined as a community that “has had a high sustained case load and may be at higher risk for healthcare resource constraints”.

The report, updated on Friday, uses data for cases and deaths July 8-14 and test data July 6-12. The numbers reported by Nevada and the Southern Nevada Health District since these dates have only increased.

#BREAKING: Clark County remains an “area of ​​concern” and “ongoing hotspot” for COVID-19 transmission, according to the White House COVID-19 team. Means the county is a community with “high persistent caseload and potentially higher risk for health resource constraints”. pic.twitter.com/Ltxg9Ok7bJ

– David Charns (@davidcharns) July 16, 2021

The Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) issued new guidelines on Friday saying that whether or not you have been vaccinated, masks “should be worn indoors in crowded public places where they may come into contact with others who are not fully vaccinated ”.

The recommendation misses the mask mandate enacted this week in Los Angeles County, but it could be a sign that a mandate could be the next step.

The SNHD council already provoked reactions on Friday, as some casinos are again requiring employees to wear masks. The Venetian and Westgate were among the first to make changes.

The Democratic Governor of Nevada, Steve Sisolak, tweeted the importance of taking the recommendation seriously.

“I urge residents and visitors to take this seriously and follow the recommendation for the health of our community and our state,” he tweeted.