LAS VEGAS (AP) - The physician who chairs Nevada’s casino oversight commission is resigning a little more than a week ahead of time, saying he needs to focus on the coronavirus pandemic.
Gaming Commission Chairman Tony Alamo’s term on the five-member board was due to expire April 27 after 12 years, and he had said he wouldn’t seek appointment to a fourth term.
In a letter on Tuesday to Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, Alamo said he will miss the commission’s April 22 meeting because he needs to focus on his role as a doctor amid the rise in COVID-19 cases.
Health officials say more than 2,200 people statewide have tested positive for the COVID-19 respiratory disease, and at least 71 people have died, mostly in the Las Vegas area.
Most people with the virus experience mild or moderate fever and coughing for up to three weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems can face severe illness including pneumonia and death.
Alamo is 55 and specializes in trauma medicine. He previously served on the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
His resignation was first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The governor is expected to appoint a new member and a new commission chief.
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