As we learn more about the spread of COVID-19 in Nevada, we will be posting updates in this story.

If you have any questions about the virus and its impact on the community, please email us at news@rgj.com.

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School district canceling all out-of-state travel for sports, academic events

With spring break coming up over the next two weeks, March 14-28, many high school athletic teams have trips to California planned for competition there.

Not so fast.

The Washoe County School District canceled all out-of-state athletic trips on Monday, citing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

Also canceled are any district-sponsored out-of-state or international trips for academic events or conferences.

On the school district website, administrators wrote: "We have made the difficult decision to cancel all out-of-state and all international district-sponsored student and staff travel including conferences, athletics, and academic related activities until further notice. Please know that the decision did not come lightly. Currently, in-state and in-district events will continue as scheduled. We will be monitoring the situation closely and informing you on any developments."

School officials say they are collaborating with WCSD Student Health Services, Washoe County Health District, State of Nevada, and federal health officials to determine the best course of action to protect students and staff members and to find the best course of action.

Bishop Manogue is not in the school district, but athletic director Jason Sterrett said the school will follow WCSD recommendations with regards to athletic and academic events outside of the state.

No league games have been cancelled as of Monday evening.

Donnie Nelson, assistant director with the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, said the NIAA is deferring to the local level, school districts and private schools in regards to out of state travel for athletics.

Beau Walker, the Galena baseball coach, said they had a trip planned for a tournament in Anaheim next week, with more than 90 teams competing.

He said the Galena baseball team goes to the tournament every year.

We were very upset to hear the news about the district cancelling out of state travel," Walker wrote to the RGJ. "We have a lot of money tied up in this trip, and are hoping to be able to recover some of it, but there is no guarantee. Many of our parents have plane tickets and hotel rooms booked, and many are non-refundable."

He said it is a good chance for college coaches to see baseball players from Northern Nevada.

"It is sad because this is a trip that our team, and especially our seniors look forward to each year, and there are a lot of colleges that don’t usually get a chance to see northern Nevada guys that come out and see them in this tournament which gives our kids more opportunities to play at the next level. However, I do understand that the county has to do what they can to protect our students," Walker wrote.

Damonte Ranch baseball coach Jon Polson said his players always look forward to the out of state trips.

'I am just so sad for our players and especially our seniors. It is always what the kids look forward to in their season. We have a close knit group, and travelling always cements that unity," Polson wrote to the RGJ.

Reno's direct flight to Houston suspended due to travel slowdown

United Airlines will suspend Reno’s nonstop flight to Houston at the end of March due to the coronavirus outbreak and the ensuing travel slowdown in the United States.

The route is one of 13 suspended by United, according to travel advice website The Points Guy. The suspensions are part of the airline’s plans to reduce the number of domestic flights by 10% through April and May.

"Due to decline in demand flowing from the impact of COVID-19, we’re taking additional steps to reduce our international and domestic schedules,'' United CEO Oscar Munoz and President Scott Kirby said in the memo.

"We sincerely hope that these latest measures are enough, but the dynamic nature of this outbreak requires us to be nimble and flexible moving forward in how we respond,'' the executives said.

The last flights before the suspension will be on March 31. United had told the Reno-Tahoe International Airport that they expect to resume the flight on June 4, airport public relations coordinator Annie Turner told the Reno Gazette Journal.

United began flying between Houston and Reno in February 2011 to great fanfare; Olympic gold medal skier Jonny Moseley was a passenger on the inaugural flight. The route had been upgraded to a year-round nonstop daily flight last May.

— Brett McGinness

More:United slashing US, international flights, offering voluntary leave amid coronavirus crisis

Handwashing habits of card dealer prepared him well for coronavirus prevention

LAS VEGAS – Rocky Colavito deals blackjack on the Bellagio’s graveyard shift.

Five days a week, the 64-year-old works the casino floor from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. passing out cards and handling money. A memo has been circulating, he said: A reminder to always wash hands on break.

“But that’s stuff I do anyway.” Colavito said. “On break, the first thing I’m doing is washing my hands. You don’t know where somebody’s hands have been. Plus I’m handling money. That’s the first thing you do when you come off the game: You head for the restroom and you wash your hands.”

Colavito has been dealing cards since 1980. He’s touched plenty of dirty bills, dodged many smoke plumes blown from the mouths of tipsy patrons. In many ways, those decades behind the card table prepared him for the spread of COVID-19.

But it's also made sneezing problematic.

A couple weeks ago, a patron blew smoke in Colavito’s face.

“I kind of stepped to the left, stepped to the right, but you can’t really go anywhere, because you’ve got to protect your game,” he said. “So I sneezed a couple, two-three times, and the one guy goes, ‘You better get him a tissue.’ I knew right away he was thinking, ‘maybe he’s got coronavirus.’ And I’m thinking to myself: ‘No, I sneezed because you blew smoke in my face.’”

- Ed Komenda

More details released about second Southern Nevada COVID-19 case

LAS VEGAS – The Southern Nevada Health District revealed more details about the second case of “presumptive positive” COVID-19 test results in Clark County.

The second case centers on a woman in her 70s who is currently hospitalized and in isolation, the district said Monday afternoon.The patient reported in-state travel before developing coronavirus symptoms. Two adults have been identified as close contacts of the woman and are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.

The first case reported in Clark County centers on a man in his 50s. He reported travel to Texas and Washington – two states where coronavirus spread has been identified. He remains hospitalized in serious condition, the district said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced commercial laboratories will soon be performing testing for COVID-19, the district said.

More updates will be provided as more information becomes available, the district said.

Carson Tahoe hospital suspends volunteers, adds controls to site access

Carson Tahoe is implementing the following procedures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak:

The main entrance and emergency room entrance at the Regional Medical Center will be the only way for the public to enter the facility. The Regional Medical Center main entrance will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other times, public access is through the main emergency department entrance.

To reduce risk to themselves and others, the hospital is temporarily suspending volunteer operations.

A welcome triage area has been set up at the front entrance and the emergency department main entrance, staffed with nurses, to screen everyone entering the building. If signs of a respiratory illness are detected, the patient will immediately be presented a mask, isolated, and screened for COVID-19.

The hospital is encouraging community members to not visit patients at any Carson Tahoe location. If you have a cough, fever, sore throat, body aches, gastrointestinal and/or respiratory symptoms, do not visit patients in the hospital.

If you have fever, cough, gastrointestinal, or respiratory symptoms please call the Nurse Health Line at (775) 445-8100. Visit carsontahoe.org to stay updated with the latest proactive measures taken by Carson Tahoe.

— Peggy Santoro

UNR asks students, staff who studied in Italy, China and other countries to self-quarantine

The University of Nevada, Reno is mandating students and staff to self-quarantine if they returned from China, Italy, South Korea and Japan. This includes more than two dozen students who were studying abroad in Italy and were told to return to the United States amid a coronavirus outbreak in countries around the world.

UNR said medical experts from the student health center are in contact with the students and staff who returned to the U.S. from Italy. All are being monitored for the possible onset of symptoms.

UNR has also suspended all university-supported travel by faculty, staff, students, guest speakers or visiting scholars to, from or going through China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan. UNR said people who are traveling overseas during the upcoming spring break need to follow guidelines for travel from the Center for Disease Control.

UNR said physicals are not part of the 14-day mandated quarantine. UNR said if any students, including those returning from travel abroad, were showing coronavirus symptoms it would be considered confidential information and would not be shared.

Press briefing at 11 Monday

The Washoe County Health District on Monday said it will give another press briefing on Monday after two people in the county have tested presumptively positive for the 2019 Coronavirus Disease.

The briefing will be live streamed on Charter channel 193 as well as the county's YouTube channel. It's scheduled for 11 a.m.

The health district over the weekend announced the second presumptively positive test from a man in his 30's began presenting symptoms after traveling to Santa Clara, California.

So far, a total of four people in the Nevada have tested presumptively positive for the virus.

More information of COVID-19 can be found at www.washoecounty.us/covid19 or by calling Washoe 311 (Dial 3-1-1).

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Sam Gross is a breaking news reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal who covers wildfires, emergencies and more. Support his work by subscribing to RGJ.com.