Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The positive results came on Friday after a rapid coronavirus test in Carson City which is part of a regular protocol for the Democratic governor, he said in a statement.

Sisolak said he is waiting on the results of a PCR test, which stands for polymerase chain reaction. He added that he'd tested negative for the coronavirus as recently as Monday, Nov. 2, and Friday, Nov. 6.

"At this time, I am not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms," he wrote on Twitter.

"Earlier this week, I felt a little fatigue, which I attributed to my demanding schedule. No other symptoms were experienced," he said, adding that it was important to notify Nevadans "as soon as possible."

He said Carson City Health and Human Services officials have begun a contact tracing investigation. He also said he has started to quarantine in his home.

"With my case, I want to underscore the importance of Nevadans to stay at home as much as they possibly can at this time," Sisolak said.

The governor instituted a mask mandate in June, requiring all residents and visitors to wear a face covering in public spaces, including private businesses, casinos and hotels.

Like much of the country, Nevada is experiencing another surge in coronavirus infections. There were more than 1,800 new cases identified in Nevada on Thursday and cases are growing at a rate of 1.3% or, 1,402 new cases per day, the governor said.

Earlier this week, he urged Nevadans to voluntarily take more precautionary measures to stop the spread of the disease. But he suggested that he may take stronger action in a couple of weeks if infection rates do not begin to decline.

State officials report there have been nearly 117,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,893 deaths.

The nation has also hit troubling milestones in recent days, with more than 10.7 million cases and nearly 245,000 deaths.

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