Governor’s office completes quarantine, no new positives

Gov. Steve Sisolak’s office announced Thursday that no staff members who came into contact with the positive case in the office tested positive for COVID-19 upon the conclusion of the full 14-day quarantine period.

All staff who work in the governor’s Capitol office and might have come into contact with the confirmed positive team member were only permitted to return to the office Thursday after the full quarantine period was completed and upon receiving a negative test result via a diagnostic test, following the recommendations of public health officials. All staff have tested negative and have returned to the governor’s offices starting today.

“I want to thank Caleb Cage for his vigilance in the office and his willingness to share his experience with COVID-19,” Sisolak said. “I am grateful he is feeling better, and no other positive cases were identified in the office. This good news is truly a testament to the public health protocols and mitigation measures that have been strictly followed by my team.

“Despite having a confirmed positive case in the office, further spread was prevented thanks to face coverings being worn at all times, regular hand washing and physical distancing. Our positive case is proof that we cannot eradicate this virus without a vaccine, but a prevention of further spread in the office is proof that mitigation measures work.”

Out of an abundance of caution, the governor received a COVID-19 test last week and received a negative result. The governor will be tested regularly going forward, and if a positive result is ever returned on a diagnostic test, it will be reported to the public.

The governor’s office has followed all public health and safety protocols including temperature checks, wearing face coverings, social distancing and strict hygiene procedures. The office undergoes regular cleaning.

In the event that another staff member of the governor’s office returns a positive diagnostic test for COVID-19 in the future, the office will inform the public but will not disclose the identity of the staff member unless the staff member makes the personal decision to share their health information.

Staff members who test positive for COVID-19 in the future will continue to participate in all public health protocols, including disease investigation interviews, so subsequent contact tracing can occur quickly.