The Delta variant has sparked a new surge in COVID cases in the U.S. The total number of cases in the country has increased nearly 50 percent in the past week, with more than 80 percent of those new cases being caused by infections with the variant, so the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But some states have higher infection rates than others, which means you should travel with caution.
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Even after the restrictions are lifted, officials in the United States warn against traveling to Las Vegas, as the Delta variant continues to hold the city – even for vaccinated people. In California, both Contra Costa County and Los Angeles County residents have cautioned against traveling to Las Vegas and Nevada. And the entire state of Nevada has just been added to Chicago’s newly introduced list of travel warning states.
“It’s really important to remember that when it comes to COVID, what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas,” said Contra Costa County Health Officer Chris Farnitano, MD, said in a statement made on NBC.
In Hawaii, Mayor of Kauai County Derek Kawakami warned residents July 21 against skipping trips to Las Vegas, blaming the city for its own recent surge in COVID cases, according to ABC subsidiary KITV Island News. “Among our most recent cases since we saw the surge last month, many of them have been on land trips and of those … many of them went to Vegas,” said the Kauai District Health Officer Janet Berreman, MD, confirmed during a press conference.
According to The New York Times, COVID cases, hospital admissions and deaths have increased recently in Clark County – where Las Vegas is located. In the past two weeks, there has been a 74 percent increase in new cases and a 102 percent increase in hospital admissions. Much of this increase can be attributed to the delta variant. The CDC reports that on July 3, Nevada has the second highest rate of delta variant cases in the US, just behind Missouri, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Around 71 percent of the sequenced COVID cases in Nevada are infections with the Delta variant.
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The White House Community Profile Report, published July 23, added Clark County as an “area of concern” and a “persistent hotspot” for coronavirus transmission. The entire state of Nevada is also considered a “high transmission state,” the report said. However, high transmission in Las Vegas isn’t the only concern, according to the Kauai District Health Department. Multiple conditions for the popular tourist destination make it a major hub for dissemination.
“Most of the popular activities are indoors and can be crowded. Visitors stay indoors for long periods of time and mingle with others from across the country. Masks are not required Health Department stated in a Facebook post on July 19.
On July 22nd, Clark County reintroduced the mask requirement for employees who work indoors regardless of their vaccination status. For others in these interiors, however, such mask requirements have not been introduced – although the district recommends this.
“Concerns about the increasing COVID-19 case numbers are asking local businesses to put up new signs asking people to follow directions from the health district advising everyone to stay in crowded indoor public places where they may Have contact with others who are not fully vaccinated to wear masks. Clark County said in a recent announcement.
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