A casino employee from the Wildhorse Casino and Resort in Oregon was recently tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus). The tribal casino has shut down as a presumptive measure.

Casino closes in response

In a statement issued shortly after the employee was tested positive, the casino said it is closing down immediately “to complete a thorough and deep cleaning as a response to reports of a presumptive positive case of Covid-19.” The casino didn’t specify when it aims to reopen for business. The closure will affect the tribal property’s casino region, alongside the hotel, restaurants, convention center, cineplex, and the children’s entertainment center. It has also canceled its events and promotions indefinitely.

The Umatilla Indian Reservation has also canceled all community events between March 2 and 8. The same Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation also runs the Wildhorse Casino. The tribe suggests that the Oregon governor office informed it of the positive case. The tribe is currently coordinating a response with the state and the Umatilla Country. It said that it is taking efforts to ensure the safety and health of the community. It will be providing information about the case as soon as it becomes available.

Casino industry threatened

Most major players in the casino industry are facing problems because of coronavirus. Several companies with exposure to Macau are suffering because of the virus outbreak. Even gaming properties in Las Vegas have experienced a slowdown because of these issues. Recently, the White House and tech companies like Google and Adobe canceled their conferences and other events in Vegas. There is also a threat of a slowdown in leisure travels in the region, which could create a dent in the revenues of resorts.

California residents and visitors have also started becoming wary of the virus and many people can be seen donning face masks to combat the spread of the disease. The US health officials have urged healthy users not to use face masks. They suggest that only people who are themselves infected or those who are caring for infected people must wear these masks. However, reports suggest that Californians started buying face masks in January itself when the news of the virus started breaking out.

Shares like MGM have suffered because of the disease and authorities around the globe are constantly preparing themselves for the impact. Some jurisdictions are warning people to avoid going out in public spaces unless necessary while others are promoting handwashing as a preventive measure.