Union: 2 UMC nurses in Las Vegas test positive for coronavirus
Two nurses at University Medical Center hospital have tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to a union official.
SEIU Local 1107 chief of staff Brian Shepherd announced the news Thursday night during an interview on KUNV-FM 91.5, a local public radio station. He said he had received the news shortly before coming on air around 7:10 p.m.
Shepherd confirmed the information in a brief phone call with a Review-Journal reporter following the interview. He declined to immediately provide further comment.
Shepherd was on the program to talk about Clark County manager Yolanda King’s decision to suspend union contracts for county employees, including some 4,000 workers at UMC. The county-operated hospital is one of the largest in Nevada.
In a statement Thursday night, UMC spokesman Scott Kerbs wrote that all hospital staff with symptoms of COVID-19 have been directed to receive free testing at a designated outpatient clinic. UMC’s in-house lab is providing the results of those tests in less than 48 hours, he added.
The hospital has also implemented policies to ensure rapid isolation and treatment for any symptomatic staff member, he wrote.
“This virus has no boundaries, and people can become exposed in virtually any public setting,” Kerbs wrote. “To protect our patients, staff and the community as a whole, UMC has incredibly detailed policies in place to prevent the spread of infectious disease.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Michael Scott Davidson at sdavidson@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Follow @DavidsonLVRJ on Twitter.
