PLPT up to 14 confirmed COVID-19 cases

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe now has 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with one recovery, the tribe announced in a video Friday afternoon.

Tribal Chairman Anthony Sampson and Tribal Health Clinic director Dawna Brown provided the update on a video uploaded to YouTube.

In the video, Brown said there are now 14 Tribal residents with confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, with nine in the Nixon area, four in Sutcliffe and one in Wadsworth. Of those, one patient who was hospitalized has recovered and is home, Brown said.

“Our numbers have gone up really quickly in a short amount of time, which means that the virus is moving,” Brown said. “We’ve got to really take control of that somehow.”

In an update on April 24, Sampson said to that point there were four confirmed cases on the reservation. He said the increase this week indicates people aren’t following the stay-at-home orders.

“I don’t think that we’re following those protocols because if it wasn’t, we wouldn’t be ramping up so many of the new cases on the reservation,” Sampson said.

Sampson urged residents to stay at home, and to wear masks when they do go out into public.

Brown said the Tribal clinic is offering testing for those who have symptoms and those who have known contact with a confirmed case. She and Sampson urged that those who go to the clinic let the workers know they are appreciated.

“A kind word goes far,” Sampson said.

“Don’t forget to be kind to people and also take care of each other,” Brown said.