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11 VA Southern Nevada employees test positive for coronavirus

Las Vegas Sun - 4/2/2020

Apr. 2--Eleven employees with the Veterans Affairs Southern Nevada Healthcare System have tested positive for the coronavirus, officials announced Wednesday.

Two of the employees affected were hospitalized while the rest were under home quarantine. Officials did not identify them or say where they worked.

The VA health care system has at least six clinics in Southern Nevada, including a hospital in the north valley.

To return to work, the 11 people infected will have to be cleared by medical officials, who must confirm that there are no fevers or respiratory symptoms. They will also have to clear two additional COVID-19 tests. As of Wednesday night, there were 961 confirmed infections of the novel virus in Clark County, with 28 fatalities, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.

Investigators with the VA health care system were tracking the employees' movements before the infections were confirmed. Members of the staff who were potentially exposed but who aren't showing symptoms will be allowed to work, but will wear masks at all times, officials said. Supervisors had already implemented universal mask use among employees within several facilities.

Those potentially exposed to the virus will be monitored for two weeks, and removed and "immediately screened" if they begin to show symptoms. To mitigate the spread of the virus, officials had previously decided to check the temperatures of everyone who enters the facilities.

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