UPDATE: The Washoe County Health District says test results for coronavirus for all students at Huffaker Elementary School came back negative on Friday.
Officials said the negative result includes the family member of the resident who tested presumptive positive on Thursday.
“We are relieved that we received no additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 today,” District Health Officer Kevin Dick said. “The Health District and Washoe County School District (WCSD) took extreme precaution by closing the school on Friday to prevent anyone from contracting the virus. I appreciate the cooperative effort of the School District to ensure the safety of those children and other members of our community.”
A statement from Kristen McNeill, Interim Superintendent, Washoe County School District:
“Parents, students and staff can rest assured that there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Huffaker Elementary School,” McNeill said. “We want to thank the Health District for their diligent work to ensure safety of our students and staff. I’m pleased to report that Huffaker will be open on Monday.”
UPDATE: The Washoe County Health District confirmed a presumptive positive case of coronavirus in Washoe County on Thursday night.
Officials said the test has been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation.
They said the case is a male resident in his 50s who is linked to the Grand Princess cruise ship outbreak.
During a press conference on Friday, health officials say identification of passengers aboard the Grand led to the man who remains stable and is in a self quarantine at home.
Officials said the case has a family member who is a student at Huffaker Elementary School in Reno. They said out of an abundance of caution, the Health District requested that the school be closed on Friday. All other schools remain open for classes.
The Washoe County School District has informed parents of the closure.
Officials said there are no confirmed cases at Huffaker Elementary.
“The Health District’s top priority right now is to investigate this case and identify close contacts,” said Kevin Dick, District Health Officer for the Washoe County Health District. “Our staff is working with the school district to help ensure safety for students and faculty at Huffaker, as well as the community. Additional information will be released as we learn more.
“We cannot stress enough that the most important thing people can do to prevent contracting COVID-19 is to practice social distancing, wash your hands with water and soap frequently, cough and sneeze into your sleeve and stay home if you’re sick. We ask that you inform family and friends of these preventive measures.”
The Health District said while this is a serious public health threat, the immediate risk to the general public in Washoe County remains low.
On Friday, Governor Steve Sisolak released this statement:
“My heart goes out to the patient impacted by COVID-19 in Washoe County. As the situation continues to rapidly develop throughout Nevada and around the country, we will continue to coordinate and support a coordinated response and preventative measures at all levels of government. As Nevadans continue to take preventative measures as they’ve been instructed to do, I will be joining our federal delegation in seeking additional resources to identify and prevent the spread of COVID-19. I encourage all Nevadans not to panic, but to take this seriously and to stay informed as updates on this developing situation become available. As we are now experiencing the anticipated impact on our local schools, I am in daily contact with the State Superintendent and education leaders, and we continue to work in partnership with the districts to prioritize the health of our students, education staff and their families, and ensure that the State serves as a resource to provide the necessary support. We will continue to choose collaboration over chaos. We will continue to prepare and prevent, not panic.”
Jhone Ebert, Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction: “The Department of Education has been working with district leaders throughout the state on preparation and contingency plans for COVID-19 and we have developed recommendations and options to support them in addressing local concerns. Just as we are partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services, our districts and schools are working with local health districts to ensure that all decisions are made with the safety of students, educators, and staff at the forefront, as always.”
Original Story: Officials with Huffaker Elementary School said school will be closed on Friday as a result of an increased number of students with influenza-like symptoms.
In a Facebook post, they said they are canceling classes "out of an abundance of caution."
They said they are working with the Washoe County Health District to gather more information.
We've reached out to the Washoe County School District, the Health District, and the Washoe County Commissioners but we have not yet heard back.
User: Huffaker Hawks To: link
