Sieve Sisolak Governor DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Director's Office Richard Whilley, MS Director Helping people. It's who we are and what we do. February 11, 2020 Robert R. Redfield, MD Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Administrator, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mailstop F-80 4770 Buford Highway, NE Atlanta, GA, 30341-3717 Dear Director Redfield: First, I would like to acknowledge the onerous amount of work and effort the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has invested in the 2019-nCoV response. This rapidly evolving situation requires a great deal of communication and coordination across various partners, and we value CDC's partnership and rely on the guidance of the organization as we work to protect public health and share information on this situation with Nevada communities. I am writing today to express a recent concern that was brought to my attention. On Wednesday, February 5, 2020, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) began receiving media reports of a Korean airlines flight bound for Las Vegas that was redirected to Los Angeles (LAX) because it was carrying three travelers who had been to China in the past 14 days. According to the reports, the plane landed at LAX where the passengers were screened and cleared to fly to Las Vegas. Nevada DHHS was not notified of this Incident by CDC and had to rely on the media for flight details, updates and information. Following information from the initial news reports, Nevada DHHS contacted CDC Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to gain clarity on the situation and to inquire about how the contact information for the three passengers would be provided to the Department, as the state's public health authority. The CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ) representative that handled this inquiry for Nevada DHHS stated the names of these passengers would not be provided and if the passengers were only in mainland China, outside of the Hubei Province, and were asymptomatic, there would be no public health intervention. Nevada DHHS staff referenced the most recent guidance from the CDC that could not be followed unless contact information was provided. The CDC DGMQ representative reported that they were not aware of this guidance and said that they would tell asymptomatic travelers from China that they are free to go along with their normal day-to-day business and they would not be collecting contact information to share with the states. Later the same evening, Nevada DHHS received another phone call from a CDC DGMQ representative stationed at LAX. Fortunately, this person was able to provide information on the three travelers. However, this representative was also unaware of CDC guidance on traveler information. 4126 Technology Way, Suite 100 • Carson City, Nevada 89706 775-684-4000 • Fax 775-684-4010 • dhhs.nv.gov Page 1 of 2 i understand this is a rapidly evolving situation, however; I am concerned about the breakdown between the communlcatlon the States have received from (he CDC, and Informatlon pI'DVlded to the CDC Our State relies on DGMQ to assist in the response to travelers, and the lack of communication In this circumstance created frustration and coriluslon icr all those Involved. As a state partner in response to the 2019rnCoV outbreak, I trusK CDC will Continue to make Improvements In outbreak guidance communicatlon. It Is Imperative that all state staff can and effectively apply Imponant publii: health control measures to reduce and stop transmission of this novel vlrus. <