Key official blames Nevada's return to masks on unvaccinated SCOTT SONNER View Comments RENO — Northern Nevada's top health officer said Wednesday that the return to an indoor mask mandate in most of the state is an unwelcome but necessary move amid a spike in COVID-19 infections he blames on the 43% of eligible residents who have not gotten vaccinated. Health officials reported 1,179 new coronavirus cases statewide Wednesday, their highest level since February. "Our COVID-19 transmission is driven by our unvaccinated population," Washoe County Health District Officer Kevin Dick told reporters in Reno. He said he's especially frustrated by those who argue the decision on whether to get vaccinated is a personal choice that should be left to an individual "because it only affects them."