Ely cancels parade, says people with virus aren’t isolating

Fri, Jul 3, 2020 (7:39 p.m.)

ELY — Officials in the northern Nevada city of Ely announced Friday that a Fourth of July parade had been canceled and other Independence Day celebrations were modified because of residents who have tested positive for the coronavirus but refuse to practice self-isolation.

The city of Ely, with a population of about 3,900 people, said organizers of a downtown parade scheduled for Saturday morning agreed to cancel the event at the request of a county health official. The city also announced a community breakfast would be converted into a drive-thru event and a field and golf course used to watch fireworks would both be closed, though the fireworks show would go on.

“Due to the refusal of local individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to quarantine and provide vital contact tracing information to slow the spread of the virus, White Pine County Public Health Officer Dr. David Byun requested early this morning that our community’s 4th of July activities be cancelled or greatly modified,” the city said in a statement Friday afternoon.

The statement said the city “strongly encourages” everyone to wear a face mask in public, to practice social distancing and to not congregate in groups of more than 50 people.

As of Friday morning, only six cases of COVID-19 had been reported in White Pine County, which includes Ely. The city is about 244 miles (393 kilometers) north of Las Vegas.

Statewide, officials have reported more than 20,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 and 528 have died.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some — especially older adults and people with existing health problems — it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.

In other developments:

—Several hotels and casinos in Laughlin have closed again after employees tested positive for COVID-19, officials said. Harrah’s Laughlin confirmed seven employees have contracted the coronavirus since the site reopened on June 4. The Avi Resort & Casino has closed its doors until July 10 after several of its employees tested positive, KTNV-TV reported. As a result of the suspension, the July 4 fireworks show will be canceled, the casino said.

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