The Clark County Health District is formed after authorization by the 1959 Nevada State Legislature. It is housed in a temporary structure built as an Army Medical Station during World War II.

Clark County Ordinance 186 establishes a requirement for a food handlers program. A traveling “medicine show” moves from hotel to hotel providing a two-hour program of films, lectures and demonstrations to educate food handlers on the importance of food safety.

Dignitaries break ground for the facility still located at 625 Shadow Lane. A bond issue to finance construction of the new health center was presented to voters in October 1963 and was approved by a substantial margin.

The U.S. Surgeon General first reports the link between smoking and lung cancer.

The Health District becomes the local repository for birth and death certificates in Clark County. This eliminates the need for residents to order records through the state office in Carson City.

President Johnson invites Dr. Ravenholt to the White House.

The first birth control (family planning) clinic opens in Clark County with a budget of $23,000. Services include contraception and counseling to those wishing to plan for the size of their family.

The Nevada state legislature passes a mandate requiring immunizations before children enter school.

The Emergency Medical Services program opens to promote better quality and coordination of emergency medical services in Clark County.

The federal Safe Drinking Water Act is established.

Smallpox is declared eradicated worldwide due to mass vaccination campaigns. Smallpox vaccination was first attempted in the 18th century.

The first neighborhood public health center opens in North Las Vegas, followed later in the year by a second facility in Henderson.

The Health District begins routine sanitation inspections of all schools located in Clark County.

The first known case of AIDS in Clark County is diagnosed. The patient, who suffers from pneumocystis pneumonia, is admitted to the hospital and dies a few days later. The Health District contacts the CDC and learns the same pneumonia syndrome has been identified in a group of people in Los Angeles. Mid-year, the director of nursing and chief health officer agree to assign the first Health District staff member to work with AIDS patients.

In the spring, HTLV-3 is identified as the cause of AIDS and leads to the development of the HIV antibody test.

The Health District begins to offer HIV blood testing during the summer. Results take seven to 14 days. A year later the health district’s HIV/AIDS clinic opens and provides evaluation and referrals for people who test positive. Clients are referred to the limited resources available in the community.

Health District regulations governing tattoo/permanent makeup establishments expand to include body piercing. Regulations are among the strictest in the country to ensure safety and health of workers and patrons.

The Office of Epidemiology works with the Nursing and Environmental Health Divisions to respond to disease outbreaks. It also performs disease surveillance and investigations of reportable diseases.  

The federal government establishes the Department of Homeland Security. Federal funding helps establish the Health District’s Office of Public Health Preparedness. As part of its planning protocols, the Medical Reserve Corps of Southern Nevada is created to identify and train health care providers who can respond in an emergency.

The syphilis prevention campaign is created in response to an ongoing syphilis outbreak in Clark County. Campaign activities include the development of novel approaches for distributing information and catch phrases. Cocktail napkins, hand towels, condom covers and other items are distributed in bars and adult venues.

West Nile virus is now an established illness in the local mosquito population. In response, mosquito control and surveillance responsibilities are transferred from Clark County to the Health District through an interlocal agreement.

The “Can It” campaign is launched to inform residents about the Health District’s preparedness plan and to urge residents to create a plan of their own. The campaign encourages locals to be prepared for natural or man-made disasters by assembling a kit of essential items to help them survive the initial days of an emergency situation.

The Health District notifies 20,000 attendees of a convention that they may have come into contact with an individual infected with hepatitis A who worked at a food service booth and handed out samples of ice cream. Over a four-day period, a total of 390 people received an immune globulin injection, which is used to prevent symptoms, and a hepatitis A vaccination.

Rubella, also known as German measles, is eliminated in the United States.

Voters pass the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act. The passage of this measure provides substantial changes to Nevada smoking laws and protects children and adults from secondhand smoke in most public places and indoor places of employment.

The community’s first National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) immunization event is hosted at the East Las Vegas Community Center by the Health District, Immunize Nevada and other partner agencies to help ensure all children in Southern Nevada have access to immunizations and are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.

The Southern Nevada Health District suspends operations at its main facility, located at 625 Shadow Ln., as a result of an engineering report that found the main building lacks an internal support system and may be unsafe to occupy. More than 200 hundred employees are relocated to existing public health centers.

The FDA approves the use of Truvada for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), in combination with safe sex practices, to reduce the risk of HIV infection in at-risk adults who are HIV negative Truvada, a combination of two antiviral medications, is the first drug-based way to prevent infection against the virus among healthy people.

American Cancer Society report finds the Clark County Tobacco Control Program one of the most successful lifesaving programs in the country.

Services begin at the Health District’s new main public health center located at 330 Valley View Blvd. at Meadows Lane with its annual back-to-school immunization clinics.

Wayfinding signs and distance markers are placed on 33.75 miles of regional trails and park paths to increase access to and use of local trails for physical activity and recreation. The project is a partnership between the Health District and each of the jurisdictions within Clark County.

The Health Card program transitions to the Body Art Card and Food Handler Safety Training and Certification program. The transition of the Food Handler Safety Training and Certification program completes the revamping of the 50-year-old Health Card program.

Two pressure cooker bombs explode within seconds of each other near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. The bombing was a domestic terrorist attack that killed three people and injured hundreds more.

A Certified Food Safety Manager Card is introduced as an enhancement to the Health District’s food safety program. The new card is optional and offers food safety professionals with additional training and education.

The first local transmission of chikungunya virus in the Western Hemisphere (St. Martin) is reported by the World Health Organization. Prior to this it had only been documented in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific oceans. Chikungunya virus is a mosquito-borne alphavirus transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.

January 11, 1964, then US Surgeon General’s Dr. Luther Terry’s Report on Smoking and Health is released. In the 50 years since its release, the landmark report has been instrumental in changing the way Americans view tobacco and it began a decades-long decline in tobacco use.

CVS Caremark announces its decision to end the sale of tobacco products at its stores, including stores in Clark County. The Health District commends the company for its decision to limit access to tobacco products and promote smoke free spaces.

The WHO declares the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency on August 8 as infection rates rise over 13,000% within a six-month period. The outbreak occurs in several West African nations with some cases identified in Europe; 11 people in the United States were treated for the disease, four of whom became ill after they arrived in the United States either after exposure in West Africa or in a health care setting.

This is the media’s first opportunity to view the internal operations of the laboratory since it opened in 2003. The laboratory serves to enhance the Health District’s public health outbreak and surveillance capabilities, as well as its ability to identify public health hazards. Since first opening, the lab has evolved into a system of multiple laboratories providing public health and clinical services to all locations of the Health District.

The Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion launches the Health District’s first mobile app, Neon to Nature. The app allows Southern Nevadans to connect to the Valley’s 600+ miles of walking paths and trails.

In response to the increase in use of e-cigarettes in the United States and Clark County, the Health District issues a health advisory and recommendations to the community. The Health District encourages policymakers, health care providers, parents and e-cigarette users to educate themselves about the products and lawmakers to include e-cigarettes in the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act.

A measles outbreak is announced. Nine cases are reported as part of the outbreak; the first confirmed cases in Clark County since 2011.

Zika virus emerges in Brazil and spreads explosively through South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus). It can be passed from mother to child during pregnancy and cause certain birth defect. There is no vaccine for Zika.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declares that rubella has been eradicated from the Americas. Rubella is a contagious viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults and is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects.

The Healthy Southern Nevada website launches. It is a first-of-its kind site and is a source of community health information and population data available to planners, policy makers and community members.

The Health District’s restaurant inspection app launches. The app provides information about current and past inspection information that is searchable in a variety of ways.

The Health District previews its new facility at 280 S. Decatur Blvd and holds a “wall-breaking” ceremony.

Health District staff relocates to the new, main public health center located at 280 S. Decatur Blvd. Public health services at the new location are available starting Tuesday, January 26.

Health District holds an open house at its 280 S. Decatur Blvd. public health center. The new public health center allows for consolidation of services, features solar tubes to provide natural light, and offers a showcase of photographs taken by employees.

Health District reports the first Zika cases in Clark County. The virus is detected in people with a travel history to locations where Zika cases are occurring.

The FDA unveils new Nutrition Facts label. The iconic black and white label made its debut in 1994.

The Mobile HIV testing unit is launched on National HIV Testing Day. The Health District and AIDS Healthcare Foundation are initiating mobile testing to increase HIV screenings throughout Southern Nevada.

US confirms Zika virus in a caregiver of a Zika patient. Florida identifies four locally transmitted cases.

The Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is introduced. The CHIP is a collaborative effort to identify priorities to address health disparities in the community and move closer to the vision of a healthy Southern Nevada.

The Health District’s LGBT tobacco prevention program CRUSH and the organizers of the two-day PRIDE Festival announce the event will be smoke-free.

Health District celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act.

Health District/Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) complete nutrition standards policy to increase access to healthy foods and beverages. The policy is adopted for DETR’s Business Enterprise Program (BEN) and includes 28 cafes and snack bars as well as 900 vending machines operated in public buildings statewide.

Health District and Trac-B Exchange launch Southern Nevada’s first needle exchange program. The program is part of an ongoing effort to reduce the transmission of bloodborne infections and their related health complications for people who share needles. The vending machines are initially available at Trac-B Exchange, Aid for AIDS of Nevada, and Community Counseling Center.

Health District identifies Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Clark County for the first time. The mosquitoes tested negative for Zika virus. The Health District later conducts three mosquito fogging operations in June and July.

The National association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) honors the Health District for excellence in public health with its Model Practice Award. The Health District’s Instilling Food Safety Culture Prior to Permit Issuance program was one of 41 local health department programs to receive NACCHO’s prestigious Model Practice Award.

The inaugural Environmental Health Expo is hosted at the Health District. Environmental Health programs provide demonstrations of its programs throughout the day for the public.

On October 1, the deadliest mass shooting committed by an individual takes place at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas. Sixty people are killed as a result of the attack.

Health District begins accepting passport applications and providing passport photos.

Health District increases access to care through service expansions as it opens the Family Heath Care Center at the 280 S. Decatur Blvd. public health center. Services include preventive care services, well-child check-ups, and sick visits. This clinic is the precursor to the Southern Nevada Community Health Center. 

The Health District issues a call to action to community partners and health care providers to achieve the 90-90-90 goal in HIV prevention in Nevada (Dec. 11). 90-90-90 is an effort to ensure that 90 percent of people who are infected with HIV will be diagnosed, 90 percent of those diagnosed will be treated with antiretrovirals, and 90 percent of people receiving treatment will be virally suppressed. 

The Southern Nevada Health District, Clark County, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas participated in a full-scale emergency response exercise called The Mega-POD at the Thomas & Mack Center to test plans that include dispensing medication to Southern Nevadans in a public health emergency. The exercise included approximately 200 staff members from Clark County who played multiple roles during the exercise.

Health District declares an acute hepatitis A outbreak in Clark County after a significant increase in the number of acute hepatitis A cases in Clark County are confirmed. Between January 1, 2019, and May 31, 2019, there have been 37 reported acute hepatitis A cases, compared to 17 reported cases in 2018, no reported cases in 2017, and six reported cases in 2016 during the same period.

Carson City Health and Human Services, Southern Nevada Health District, and Washoe County Health District issue joint public health advisory of the potential for severe lung illness associated with the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and advise people not to use vaping products and e-cigarettes. The CDC is reporting more than 400 cases of e-cigarette or vaping reported lung injury cases (EVALI) and three deaths. The first confirmed case in Clark County is identified five days later. The Health District identifies a total of six cases.

Health District and Southern Nevada elected officials sign on to Fast Track Cities as Fast Track Nevada initiative, part a formal commitment to end the HIV epidemic in Nevada by 2030.

Updates to the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act take effect. The modernized law now protects children and adults from secondhand aerosol and electronic vaping products in most public places and indoor places of employment.

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Azar determines a public health emergency exists due to coronavirus disease 2019.

WHO announces the official name for the 2019 coronavirus outbreak – coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Southern Nevada Health District announces its first positive case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Clark County resident.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic (the first since 2009). The WHO Director-General noted that within 2 weeks, the number of cases outside China increased 13-fold and the number of countries with cases increased threefold. Further increases are expected.

Governor Sisolak issues Declaration of Emergency 001 to facilitate the State of Nevada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A national public health emergency is declared due to coronavirus disease.

Emergency Directive 002 closes gaming establishments and non-essential businesses in the state.

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) recognized the Health District with the 2020 Samuel J. Crumbine Consumer Protection Award for Excellence in Food Protection at the Local Level for their achievement in providing outstanding food protection services to the Southern Nevada community.

Health District declares the local 2019 hepatitis A outbreak has ended and a total of 37 reported cases. In response, the Health District established 27 mobile strike teams to provide hepatitis A vaccinations for homeless individuals and at-risk populations.

Health District receives its first shipments of Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Hospitals begin administering first doses to staff members.

The Health District launches its Linkage to Action (L2A) mobile outreach unit. L2A is funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Overdose Data to Action* program to prevent drug overdoses through education, surveillance, and assistance with accessing services to prevent overdoses.

Congress required Surgeon General to submit annual report on the effects of gun violence on public health.

The Health District and Clark County announce that more than one million initial COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Clark County.

On World AIDS Day, the Health District opens its Sexual Health Clinic at All Saints Episcopal Church to increase access to services in the community. The location is open three days each week.

The Nevada Attorney General announces that Nevada will join two opioid settlements and will receive almost $285.2 million from multiple sources.

Health District receives notice of its five-year accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). The Health District is the third accredited public health agency in Nevada.

In a win for Southern Nevada, the Las Vegas Lights FC go smoke-free at its home games inside Cashman Field.

Las Vegas Ballpark and the Las Vegas Aviators announce all home games are now smoke-free throughout the venue. UNLV announces it will become a smoke-free campus in August 2022 at the start of the fall semester.

CDC reports 957,000-plus COVID-19 deaths in the United States and approximately 70 million cases. Globally, deaths reach 6 million.