Sun City Summerlin coronavirus patients are hospitalized

Three people who live in Sun City Summerlin have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The 55-and-older community serves about 12,500 people. All three COVID-19 patients were hospitalized as of Wednesday night, according to an email alert sent to residents.

“Only those people infected know everywhere they have been and everyone they came in contact with,” Mitzi Mills, the community association’s executive director, wrote in the alert. “Unfortunately, until their conditions improve they cannot tell the medical staff or other authorities this information.”

Through sign-in records, the association was able to determine that none of the patients had participated in any meetings or planned activities sponsored by Sun City Summerlin within the past two weeks.

They also had not purchased any show tickets or used community fitness centers within the past two weeks.

Two of the patients had golfed recently — each at the Highland Falls golf course on March 5 and each again at the Palm Valley course on March 12. It’s unclear if they golfed together.

“This information is not being published to scare you, it is being published to inform you,” Mills wrote in the alert.

The residents’ names and ages were not shared.

As of Thursday morning, 420 people in Nevada have tested positive for the coronavirus. Ten people have died, including a man in his 30s with underlying medical conditions.

Typically, four out of five people with confirmed cases experience mild symptoms. Globally, older adults have experienced more severe symptoms.

Community centers shut down

All community and fitness centers in Sun City Summerlin are currently closed, as well as three separate golf clubhouses that serve residents.

Restaurants attached to those golf clubhouses remain open, but they are only doing curbside deliveries.

“You are your best defense, stay home to stay well, and if you do not feel well call your doctor,” the alert read.

Sun City Anthem, a similar 55-and-older community in Henderson that serves about 13,000 people, is unaware of any COVID-19 cases among residents or staff.

All Sun City Anthem community and fitness centers are also closed.

Revere Golf Club, which has three courses, remains open. The club operates separately from the community association but serves its residents, according to Sandy Seddon, the community association’s chief operating officer.

The club’s general manager declined to comment.

“There is a lot of anxiety,” Seddon said. But Sun City Anthem is working to update residents through email advisories at least once every other day.

It is also working on setting up a mailer for residents who do not use email.

“We’re just encouraging folks to check on your neighbors, make sure they’re OK,” Seddon said. “Give that call to your friend. Let’s make sure that we’re all talking to each so we know that we’re OK and that we’re safe.”

In the meantime, a community COVID-19 task force was created to monitor the situation. It’s in its early stages, but right now a representative is sitting in on daily updates from the City of Henderson and relaying that information to task force members and residents, Seddon said.

A neighborhood watch group is also walking and biking throughout the community to maintain a presence as many residents choose to stay indoors.

Should the community association become aware of any positive cases, it will notify residents, Seddon said.

Contact Rachel Crosby at rcrosby@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3801.