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The test results are back on people without any symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Over the first two weeks in May, Carson City Health and Human Services conducted tests of individuals throughout the quad county area of Carson City and Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties.
Out of 1,798 tests, one came back positive for the virus.
“With the asymptomatic testing, we were testing individuals in our community who were not experiencing symptoms. Most of these individuals have been practicing social distancing and self-quarantining at home,” said Dustin Boothe, division manager, CCHSS. “Having only one positive asymptomatic person shows how diligent our community was in regards to social distancing and staying home for the quad counties.”
On a national level, asymptomatic testing is not being conducted widely so there is little data on the percentage of persons with the virus without symptoms. Such testing has been done for outbreaks in nursing homes, hospitals and on cruise ships, where anywhere from 4 percent to over 50 percent of asymptomatic individuals tested positive.
“Other areas that are seeing asymptomatic testing are testing those in closed conditions. These areas differ from the quad counties where our tests were community wide and our communities have being practicing social distancing and staying home,” said Jessica Rapp, public information officer, CCHHS.
The tests conducted by CCHHS were free and provided by the Nevada State Public Health Lab.
CCHHS is determining if it will provide additional testing for asymptomatic individuals, according to Rapp.
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