Health

Editor’s Note: Margarita Portillo-Hernandez is a school social worker and safe school professional at Eagle Valley Middle School in Carson City. The following is her report:

This year has been extremely challenging and with the impact of Covid; many of our families are struggling to ensure they can celebrate Christmas. However, generous community members have come together determined to help these families have a Christmas celebration not even Covid can stop.

In our region, as well as in many areas across the country, there have been massive spikes in COVID-19 transmissions over the past few months. Even as restaurants and bars were reopened, daily positive cases were generally staying within single digits inside the Quad-County region.

However, between October and December, both test positivity rates as well as overall cases — and deaths — have seen a massive increase. Local health organizations are now not only fighting against the disease, but against misinformation campaigns as well.

Heading into the weekend, there’s a bevy of activities around the Carson City region. Several fundraisers, including the annual “Share Your Christmas” Food Drive will be available throughout the Carson City, Minden and Reno areas on Friday. You can visit the North Pole safely as part of a drive-thru Santa's Village experience at V&T Railway in Carson City, beginning Friday into the weekend. A living nativity scene will be featured at First United Methodist Church on Saturday and Sunday. Combined with train rides in Virginia City, the state capital will be buzzing with excitement. Read on for more information.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020 that there are 9 additional deaths due to COVID-19 in the Quad-County region. We are also reporting 308 new cases and 164 additional recoveries of COVID-19 in the Quad-County Region. This brings the total number of cases to 6,777, with 3,312 recoveries and 68 deaths; 3,397 cases remain active.

Two Carson City leaders have teamed up to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and provide information on how families can protect themselves and others during the holidays.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020 that there are 49 new cases and 62 additional recoveries of COVID-19 in the Quad County region. This brings the total number of cases to 6,469, with 3,148 recoveries and 59 deaths; 3,262 cases remain active.

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public and Behavioral Health is expanding the capabilities of the COVID Trace app by launching Exposure Notification Express through a partnership with Apple and Google.

Do you know of a woman in our Carson City community who is dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls and should be recognized for her efforts? Soroptimist International of Carson City is accepting sponsorship submissions for our 2021 “Women Helping Women” honorees.

At the Carson Tahoe Cancer Center, an affiliate of Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah and accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, convenience is paramount. Even in the midst of a global pandemic the cancer center has made it a priority to improve their patients’ health, comfort, and well-being by utilizing new and effective technology.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020 that there is an additional death due to COVID-19 in the Quad-County region. The individual was a male Douglas County resident in his 80’s. CCHHS is also reporting 402 new cases and 6 additional recoveries of COVID-19 in the Quad County region.

Nevada has recently been recognized as the state with the highest number of hospitalizations per capita in the country. This matches the surge of COVID-positive patients we are seeing and the increase in hospitalizations.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Monday, Dec. 7, 2020 that there are two additional deaths due to COVID-19 in the Quad-County region. The individuals were a male Carson City resident in his 90s and a male Lyon County resident in his 70s.

Nevada is set to receive more than 164,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine throughout the month that will be used for hospital staff, skilled nursing facility staff and residents, and other Tier One individuals as outlined in the state's COVID-19 Vaccination Program Playbook, according to state health officials.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020 that there are 143 new cases and 18 additional recoveries of COVID-19 in the Quad-County region. This brings the total number of cases to 5,869, with 3,048 recoveries and 56 deaths; 2,765 cases remain active.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 that there are 273 new cases and 11 additional recoveries of COVID-19 in the Quad-County Region. This brings the total number of cases to 5,726, with 3,030 recoveries and 56 deaths; 2,640 cases remain active.

A 28-year-old Carson City man was arrested Wednesday for suspicion of misdemeanor trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia, a sheriff's office booking report states.

We are reporting two additional deaths due to COVID-19 in the Quad-County Region. The individuals were:

• A female Douglas County resident in her 70’s
• A female Carson City resident in her 60’s

We are also reporting 104 new cases and 15 additional recoveries of COVID-19 in the Quad-County Region. This brings the total number of cases to 5,453, with 3,019 recoveries and 56 deaths; 2,378 cases remain active.

Heading into the weekend, there’s a bevy of activities around the Carson City region. The annual Silver and Snowflakes Festival of Lights holiday celebration goes virtual on Friday. Santa Claus will arrive virtually at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada and in-person at Battle Born Harley Davidson on Saturday for pictures with families and kids of all ages. Combined with live music and dinner specials at Living the Good Life, the state capital has events lined up for the holidays! Read on for more information.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020 that there is an additional death due to COVID-19 in the Quad-County region. The individual was a Storey County resident.

The school districts of Nevada have long-faced critically thin budgets, but the impact of the pandemic has further increased those stresses. Locally, three school districts received extra funds today to help ease that stress, courtesy of Carson City Toyota.

CARSON CITY — Hundreds of Nevada National Guardsmen will remain on duty through the first quarter of 2021, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Thursday.

Gov. Steve Sisolak is urging Nevadans to have hope but continue to follow coronavirus health and safety protocols with the state’s first allocation of the COVID-19 vaccine set to arrive as early as the middle of December.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020 that there are 8 additional deaths due to COVID-19 in the Quad County region. The individuals were 5 Carson City residents, a Douglas County resident, a Lyon County resident, and a Storey County resident.

Happy Thursday Carson City! Are you gearing up for the holiday spirit? Here's one way to celebrate: Offering an orphaned pup the gift of a new family.

Izzy is a 9-year-old lab who is currently looking for her forever home!

UPDATE: Governor Steve Sisolak will hold a press conference today, Wednesday, at 4:30 p.m. to provide an update on Nevada’s COVID-19 vaccination planning process. The press conference, which was originally scheduled for 3 p.m. but changed, will be conducted virtually.

Partnership Carson City, founded to develop a healthy community, is showing appreciation for Carson City’s teachers and senior citizens with a school supply and decorations giveaway. JOANN Fabrics and Crafts generously donated several boxes of seasonal holiday decorations and PCC is including an assortment of school supplies available for use.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting Tuesday, Dec. 1, that there are 11 additional deaths due to COVID-19 in the Quad-County region.

A tweet from President Donald Trump angered Nevada officials Tuesday after the commander-in-chief shared a bogus charge about a Reno hospital and falsely tweeted that Nevada’s election laws were “fake.”

Stroudwater Associates, the nation’s leading source of strategic, operational, and financial strategy for rural, community and county-district owned hospitals, announced today a joint venture with Greater Commercial Lending (GCL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Greater Nevada Credit Union, recognized as one of the nation’s leading USDA lenders, to help rural healthcare businesses access USDA guaranteed loans. The new partnership will be known as StroudwaterGCL Rural Healthcare Capital.

MINDEN — After consultation with the Douglas County Officials, the Towns, public safety agencies, and Douglas County Emergency Management it was determined in-person public holiday events at the Towns of Gardnerville, Genoa, and Minden, as well as the 25th Annual Parade of Lights hosted by the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce have been cancelled.