US awards $89.9M to Nevada for virus tests, contact tracing

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A federal agency has awarded $89.9 million to Nevada to enhance COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.

The Nevada Appeal reports that the grant awarded by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was announced by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada.

The lawmakers said the funding is important because the state needs “an expansive and efficient system for testing and contact tracing" as it moves toward reopening its economy.

In other pandemic developments:

— Las Vegas is temporarily closing some downtown streets to traffic to provide space for dining pavilions for use by customers who purchase take-out food from restaurants.

The city will have staff on hand to clean and disinfect the tables and chairs between use, KVVU-TV reported.

— The Nevada Legislature has created a new panel of lawmakers to advise Gov. Steve Sisolak and review the state’s use of federal funding provided the state because of the pandemic.

The Interim Finance Committee voted Thursday to form a 12-member subcommittee that will be chaired by Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, D-Las Vegas, the Appeal reported.

— Nevada health officials reported that the state had 7,401 cases of COVID-19 with 381 deaths as of Friday.

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