In Las Vegas, casinos have been operational since June. The gaming facilities shut down back in March to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus when it became a major issue in the US. After almost two months, the casinos were back in action but at lower capacity rates and safety and health measures to ensure employees and guests are not subject to the virus. Two major operators in the region have now released the positive number of cases they have seen among employees after opening back up.
Las Vegas Sands
For the Las Vegas Sands, the operator is in charge of the Palazzo and the Venetian resorts. The casinos have been open since June and reportedly, close to 400 employees have tested positive for the virus. The company has tested over 42,000 people at the two properties.
In total, the company has seen 424 employees with the virus, but only 399 had it after the resorts opened in June. Some cases popped up in the early stages. Some cases were found due to on property testing while others were identified while away from work.
In an email, the Las Vegas Sands said that they are focused on the health, safety and well-being of the team members. The casino, like others in the region, require mask wearing as well as social distancing on-site.
Wynn Resorts Reports More Cases
For Wynn Resorts, its Wynn Las Vegas property had more cases than the Las Vegas Sands. Almost 500 positive cases have been reported among employees with three deaths. The Wynn Las Vegas has issued only just over 15,000 tests via the University Medical Center. The tests are conducted to try and catch an employee with the virus that may be asymptomatic and spread it to others.
In total, the casino operator found 51 positive cases before reopening and 497 after the venue was up and running. The casino operator has seen over 500,000 people in its facility since reopening back in June. Of their guests, only six have reportedly tested positive with the virus.
Hotel Concerns
According to reports out of Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, is that over 25% of people who recently tested positive for the virus in the region, could have contracted the virus or spread it at a resort, hotel or motel.
The Nevada COVID-19 Mitigation and Management Task Force discussed last week that there may be a connection between the Las Vegas Strip and positive cases of the virus. Contact tracing efforts have seen that over a 30 day period, those who tested positive said they visited a resort, hotel or motel.
Infected people also talked about visiting a restaurant or grocery store, but it was a smaller percentage of those affected. According to officials, the data does not mean that the business is connected to the exposure, they are just named during the case investigation by the individual who has tested positive for the virus.
Casinos and their hotels are being careful with the way they clean and sanitize in an effort to slow the spread. The goal is to create as clean of an environment as possible so players and employees can stay safe from the virus.
