Coronavirus live updates: Gov. Sisolak announces moratorium on evictions

Moratorium placed on evictions

Update, 4:15 p.m.

Gov. Steve Sisolak announced an emergency directive on Sunday that puts a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures in the state.

The directive will be in effect for 90 days and applies to residential and commercial tenants.

"This is not the time to put people out on the streets," Sisolak said. "This is also not the time to evict small business owners who have been hit by the economic fallout of this pandemic."

It prohibits lockouts and eviction filings while Nevada is in a state of emergency.

The only exception to this rule is for landlords who need to evict dangerous tenants posing a threat to others. Sisolak made it clear, however, that this exception for evictions of dangerous tenants does not apply to those who are self-isolating because they've been diagnosed with COVID-19, or those who may have been exposed through their work.

"We want our doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers who are battling COVID-19 on the front lines every day to be able to continue working without fear of eviction for the critical work they are doing for all of us,” Sisolak.

The directive does not end contractual obligations or constitute "free rent," he added.



White Pine County reports first case

Update, 1:08 p.m.

Authorities in White Pine County on Sunday announced their first case of COVID-19.

No other details were released about the case.

"It is here, folks. It is time to step up," read a press release from the White Pine County Office of Public Health that was reposted to the sheriff's office Facebook page. "Your actions will determine the course of this battle for days and weeks to come."

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First death in Washoe County; RPD officer infected

Update, 12:25 p.m.

A Washoe County man in his 40s has died of coronavirus, the first death from the virus reported in northern Nevada.

That death makes for a total of 15 statewide, with all but the most recent occurring in Clark County. It's unclear if this man had underlying health conditions, according to a release from the Washoe County Regional Information Center.

“We’re devastated to learn that a Washoe County resident has died due to COVID-19,” said Kevin Dick, District Health Officer for Washoe County. “Our thoughts are with the family at this time.”

In the same announcement, the Washoe County Health District also said 14 new COVID-19 cases were discovered in Washoe County, bringing the county total to 107. One additional person has recovered, bringing that total to eight people released from self-isolation.

Among those new cases is a Reno Police Department patrol officer. That officer began experiencing symptoms on March 21 and immediately began quarantining at home.

Members of the Washoe County regional COVID-19 task force will hold a virtual briefing on the new developments at 3 p.m. this afternoon, which will be broadcast here.

Humboldt County reports 2 new cases

Update, 10:10 a.m.

Humboldt County on Saturday announced two new cases of COVID-19, bringing the county's total to three.

The first case was reported on Thursday, March 26.

California closes all 280 state parks to vehicle access

Update, 9:35 a.m.

California announced on Sunday that it has closed all 280 of its state parks to vehicle traffic.

The move comes after the parks "experienced visitation surges that made it impossible for the public to implement appropriate social/physical distancing practices," according to a press release.

The new restrictions include all state parks on the California side of Lake Tahoe and along the Sierra. Vehicular traffic can still access state parks on the Nevada side of the lake.

Recreation areas across the U.S. have seen surging visitation as the spread of COVID-19 has closed schools and sent people home from work.

California will continue to monitor visitation to its state parks, and if the new measures do not prove enough to limit visitation, more restrictions could be put into place.

NV's Democratic senators press Pence on COVID-19 supply shortages

Nevada's two Democrats in the Senate, Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, added their names to a letter demanding answers from Vice President Mike Pence on "dire shortages" of medical supplies needed to fight the spread of COVID-19, according to a Sunday press release.

Hospitals and health care providers around the country have reported severely lacking supplies such as personal protective equipment, ventilators and sufficient numbers of beds, among other things.

"Providers on the front lines of this pandemic are being forced to ration care and reuse critical protective equipment in previously unthinkable ways," the senators wrote in the letter. "These desperate measures put their health at risk, contribute to the spread of this deadly virus, and limit their capacity to care for patients."

The letter is demanding that Pence, who's leading the federal COVID-19 task force, provide details on the Trump administration's plans to increase stock of supplies.

117 new cases confirmed in Nevada, 18 in Washoe; sheriff's deputy tests positive

Sunday, March 29

The state of Nevada reported an additional 117 positive cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total statewide to 738 confirmed cases; 9,150 people have been tested, according to the Nevada Health Network.

Fourteen Nevadans have died, all in Southern Nevada.

Washoe County Health District on Saturday confirmed 18 new cases of COVID-19 — including a sheriff’s deputy who worked in the jail. The new cases in Washoe brought the total to 93, health officials said. Seven of those have recovered.

Officials said the deputy had just returned to work on Thursday after being off for a week. She then reported symptoms of the coronavirus and was sent to an independent lab for testing. She was then sent home.

By Saturday morning, the sheriff’s office learned the deputy had tested positive. Sheriff Darin Balaam reported the case later that afternoon.

Balaam also instructed his staff to take the temperatures of everyone entering the sheriff’s office. That includes having people answer basic screening questions before they’re allowed inside.

2 new cases reported in Carson and Douglas

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting two new coronavirus cases, a Carson City woman and a Douglas County man, both in their 30s. Both had traveled recently, and both are self-isolating and in stable condition.

School district rolls out remote learning plan

Starting Monday and for a least two weeks, the Washoe County School District is rolling out remote education. On Friday and continuing Monday and Tuesday, the district started delivering packets and opened an online portal for lessons for students amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Read the 10 things parents need to know about remote learning here.

Las Vegas opens temporary homeless shelter

Las Vegas opened a Temporary homeless shelter to house those who were left unsheltered after the Catholic Charities shelter closed.

Last week, health officials confirmed a homeless man had tested positive, prompting the closure of a shelter run by Catholic Charities. The closure left 500 people without an overnight shelter.

For the full story, click here.