Harrah’s Cherokee Casino hit with a ‘cluster’ of COVID-19 cases, NC officials say
A cluster of coronavirus cases have been identified at a casino in western North Carolina, according to county health officials.
At least five employees at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino who work the table games section tested positive for the virus within two weeks, the Jackson County Department of Public Health said in a news release Monday.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a cluster as a minimum of five cases in a shared environment — such as a classroom or work area — during the same time period.
“Based on information provided by the employees and video surveillance records, no other employees or customers have been identified as close contacts as defined by the CDC,” Regional Manager Brooks Robinson said in the release. “Additionally, all employees who test positive, show symptoms or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive have been directed not to come to work and to self isolate.”
But local health officials are still “working to identify any additional close contacts of these employees” and the investigation is ongoing, according to Monday’s release.
Jackson County — which encompasses part of the Cherokee Indian reservation — has reported 279 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and three deaths since the pandemic began, according to its coronavirus dashboard. At least 51 people are in isolation.
Close to 7% of the cases are among Native Americans, data show.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, part of gaming corporation Caesars Entertainment, closed in March following an executive order from Gov. Roy Cooper that shuttered much of the state in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. At the time, Harrah’s said in a news release there were no reported cases at the casino.
But the Cherokee casino announced it was reopening May 28 at 30% capacity with certain social distancing protocols in place in accordance with state and tribal guidelines, according to a Caesars Entertainment news release.
Some of its restaurants were also reopened with limited seating capacity and takeout options, the release states.
Under those reopening guidelines, Harrah’s is required to conduct “more frequent cleaning and sanitization,” Caesars said in the release. Daily employee health checks are also required and all workers must wear masks. Guests are additionally subject to temperature checks when entering the casino and must wear masks.
The infected employees were working the table games section at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino before testing positive, including the blackjack, craps, roulette and 3-card poker tables, according to the casino’s website.
This story was originally published July 20, 2020 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Harrah’s Cherokee Casino hit with a ‘cluster’ of COVID-19 cases, NC officials say."
