UPDATE 11 P.M.: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department says its workforce remains a top priority in the battle against the spread of COVID-19.
On Thursday, the department revealed 48 personnel reported they have workplace-related exposure to the virus was now has more than 70 cases in the general population in Clark County.
It's unclear how many of the 48 police personnel were police officers or where the potential exposures took place.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Clark County Nevada was 2.204 million people as of 2017.
A police spokesperson tells 13 Investigates the reports do not indicate there are presumptive positive cases in the group.
On Monday, The Las Vegas Police Protective Association president said the department was taking a proactive approach to help slow the spread of the virus.
RELATED: Las Vegas front-line first responders grapple with coronavirus exposure, risk
"The police can't be shut down so we are going to be there," said Steve Grammas with the association.
"We are going to take all the necessary precautions, if you have some officers starting to get sick on the streets we have reserve officers in the detective bureaus that will still be there so people should not be worried that police services are going to suffer," added Grammas.
13 Investigates asked the City of Las Vegas about any firefighting personnel that have reported possible exposure to COVID-19.
A City of Las Vegas spokesperson released a statement:
Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Emergency Responders are well equipped and well cared for as they respond to fire and medical emergencies. During this pandemic it is natural for the public to have concern for their safety and welfare. The city has policies and procedures in place that ensure every emergency responder is fit for duty and able to respond on calls without compromise to their own or the public’s health. Any exposure to infectious conditions are documented and treated.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) restricts the city from releasing medical status of employees.
13 Investigates reached out to Clark County authorities about whether any Clark County Fire Department personnel had reported any COVID-19 exposure, but a request for information was not immediately returned.
UPDATE 2:30 P.M.: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has provided this updated statement.
Under workers compensation, an employee must give notice when they have an injury or exposure in order to be covered if the condition later requires medical attention or time off work. As a result of the Covid-19 epidemic, 48 LVMPD employees have given notice of potential workplace exposure. This does not mean 48 employees have been exposed to Covid-19 or have come in contact with someone who has it. It also does not indicate that there are any presumptive positives in this group. These notices are given to the department by employees out of an abundance of caution if they think they’ve been exposed. These cases may involve individuals who aren’t presenting symptoms of COVID-19. These could also be cases of the common cold, allergies, the flu, or anything else that would result in a report. The LVMPD is tracking this information to understand how this is affecting our workforce. At this time, we continue to encourage employees to report any encounter they suspect could have future impact on their health
ORIGINAL STORY: Las Vegas police have reported potential exposure to COVID-19.
In a statement today a spokesperson for Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department told 13 Action News:
"LVMPD has received 48 cases of potential workplace exposure."
A previous version of this story stated officers were exposed. At this time, 13 Action News does not know who was exposed or where it happened.
