Laboratories who are processing and testing samples from Nevada residents are required under severe penalties to report all COVID-19 test results to the Division of Public and Behavioral Health within 24 hours from analysis through an established reporting method. *New*: Laboratories must additionally submit all positive samples of SARS-Co-V-2 with a cycle threshold of (Ct) <30 to the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory for genomic sequencing. *New as of end of day May 11, 2023*: As a result of ending the PHE declaration, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act authority for HHS to require laboratory result reporting will be revoked. In response, the COVID-19 laboratory result reporting requirement within Nevada will change. As of the end of the day on May 11, 2023, negative and inconclusive COVID-19 results will no longer be required to be reported regardless of the type of test performed. All positive COVID-19 results will continue to be reportable with the exception of self-administered at-home tests and serology testing. (See attached TB.)
A laboratory director, or if more than one medical laboratory is involved in testing a specimen, the laboratory that is responsible for reporting the results of the testing directly to the provider of health care for the patient shall also be responsible for reporting to the health authority.
All in-state and out-of-state laboratories who are processing and testing samples from Nevada residents are required under severe penalties to report all COVID-19 test results to the Division of Public and Behavioral Health within 24 hours from analysis.
Laboratories and healthcare providers must submit ALL COVID-19 results (positive, negative and indeterminant) within 24 hours of analysis through the electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) system.
The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH), Office of Public Health Investigation and Epidemiology (OPHIE) team will assist in onboarding laboratories into the ELR system and can be contacted at dpbhelronboarding@health.nv.gov. During the onboarding process OPHIE will provide instructions on the best interim alternative mechanism to report until the completion of ELR onboarding.
Note: Laboratories that need to continue to report aggregate laboratory totals to HHS as described in the attached documentation (COVID-19 Guidance for Hospital Reporting and FAQs 072920) include any laboratory that is:
Continue reporting aggregate totals to HHS until you have confirmed that the CDC is receiving your information. Contact your state health department or CDC (eocevent405@cdc.gov) to confirm you are able to discontinue reporting directly to HHS. For a list of state health departments that have converted to electronic line-level reporting, please see the CDC website.
NEW: Per Technical Bulletin dated July 2nd, 2021(Attached below in "Current Documents" section), clinical laboratories that identify SARS-CoV-2 via a laboratory-based molecular testing mechanism, must submit all positive samples with a cycle threshold (Ct) < 30 to the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory (NSPHL) for genomic sequencing.
For More Information: Please contact DPBH M-F 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at (775)-684-5911. The after-hours line can be contacted at (775)-400-0333.
Nevada State Public Health Laboratory
1660 N. Virginia St.
Reno, NV 89557, Mail Stop 385
(775) 688-1335
NRS 441A.920 Criminal penalty and administrative fine for failure to comply with regulations or requirements of chapter. Every provider of health care, medical facility or medical laboratory that willfully fails, neglects or refuses to comply with any regulation of the Board relating to the reporting of a communicable disease or drug overdose or any requirement of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and, in addition, may be subject to an administrative fine of $1,000 for each violation, as determined by the Board.
*Additional liability to third parties who are infected/injured by non-reported patient.
Non-compliance with Reporting Requirements:
Any laboratory or health care provider that is non-compliant with the outlined requirements related to reporting, will receive notification from DPBH. It is expected that upon notification a plan to correct the issue(s) is established and acted upon. If continued non-compliance occurs, DPBH will issue a formal citation for violation of NAC 441.A. Per NAC 652.530 the circumstances under which DPBH has authorization for disciplinary action are:
NAC 441A.235 Duty of director or other person in charge of medical laboratory to report findings of communicable disease, causative agent of communicable disease or immune response to causative agent; contents of report; submission of certain microbiologic cultures, subcultures, or other specimen or clinical material; required reporting of results of certain tests relating to human immunodeficiency virus. (NRS 439.200, 441A.120, 441A.167)
1. Except as otherwise provided in NAC 441A.240, the director or other person in charge of a medical laboratory in which a test or examination of any specimen derived from the human body yields evidence suggesting the presence of a communicable disease, a causative agent of a communicable disease or an immune response to a causative agent of a communicable disease shall:
(a) If the medical laboratory is in this State, report the findings to the health authority having jurisdiction where the office of the health care provider who ordered the test or examination is located or to an electronic clearinghouse approved by the health authority.
(b) If the medical laboratory performed the test or examination on specimens obtained in this State or from residents of this State, and the medical laboratory is located outside of this State, report the findings to the Chief Medical Officer.
The report must be made in the manner provided in NAC 441A.225.
The enhanced reporting is required by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act authorizes HHS “to prescribe the form and manner, and timing and frequency, of such reporting.”
See also: COVID-19 Cases
Laboratories must also immediately notify the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of any issues with capacity, supplies, machines, or staffing to quickly identify and address any resource needs that may hinder timely test results.
Once laboratories have completed the testing, the below required data elements must be submitted with the laboratory result:
