Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 51
Over the weekend, the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wyoming continued to increase as testing continued and the virus spread. As of 4 p.m. on April 6, the total number of cases in the Cowboy State was at 210 with 52 cases recovered and no deaths. Of the 23 counties in Wyoming, 17 have at least one confirmed case. On Friday evening, Carbon County had one more added to its count with a fourth confirmed case from the Wyoming Department of Health. When initially... Full story
On April 3, Governor Gordon added another directive in conjunction with three statewide orders that had been issued in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Those orders, which had an original sunset date of April 3, had been extended twice; first to April 17 and again to April 30. The directive released on April 3, like Gordon’s other orders, is intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. The directive is for individuals who are arriving in Wyoming from another state or country to s... Full story
With new national recommendations encouraging the targeted use of personal face coverings due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) official is updating residents on why using them at key times could be helpful. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other measures meant to keep people apart are difficult to maintain such as grocery stores and pharmacies. Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state... Full story
A hospitalized Johnson County man previously identified as being infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has died, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH). The older man had health conditions that put him at higher risk of severe illness and complications related to COVID-19. There have been 275 confirmed and 98 probable cases reported so far from across Wyoming. This is the first reported death associated with the pandemic in the state. “This is a sad development we hoped we wouldn’t see in Wyoming and we want this per... Full story
While testing for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues throughout Wyoming, there was recently a bit of good news for Carbon County. In a little more than a week since the first case of COVID-19 in the county was announced, two of the three confirmed cases are reported to have completely recovered. That information came on Sunday night through the daily situational debrief sent to media outlets by Jacqueline Wells, public information officer for the Carbon County COVID-19 Incident... Full story
With the emphasis that has been placed on the importance of social distancing, and with one of three public health orders prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people, this may leave regular attendees of meetings wondering how to attend. While the order forbidding gatherings of 10 or more people specifically exempts government business, boards and councils throughout the state have worked to find ways to promote social distancing. According to Wyoming State Statute 16-4-403(a), “all meetings of t... Full story
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County (MHCC) hosted a social media livestream on March 27 with several of their clinical staff as they worked to provide answers to residents of Carbon County amid the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During the course of the one hour question and answer session, the medical providers on the panel answered questions relating to treatment of COVID-19 and testing for the virus. Edward Zimmerman, who works in the MHCC emergency room and serves as county he... Full story
As reported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases continue to go up and because not everyone who may be ill can be tested, a Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) official is offering advice on what residents who are sick with a respiratory illness should do. “Most reported cases of COVID-19 in Wyoming so far can describe a likely source of infection, such as contact with a known case,” said Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with WDH. “But there are others with an unknown source of infection and there are likel... Full story
Because of testing supply issues, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) will be limiting testing available through the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to the department’s established priority patients and situations. “It’s been clear for some time that materials needed for sample collection and testing are in very short supply in Wyoming and across the nation,” said Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with WDH. “We’ve done well so far at our lab, but our concern abo... Full story
Governor Mark Gordon and State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist have extended the three existing statewide health orders through April 30 to slow community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect lives. The Governor continues to emphatically state that people need to stay home whenever possible to prevent or slow the spread of the virus. These orders are meant to enforce that direction through April. Specifically, the current orders closing public places including schools, prohibiting gatherings of 10 people or more in a single... Full story
*UPDATE* 3:41 p.m. April 4, 2020 After further investigation, it was announced by the Carbon County COVID-19 Incident Management Team that there is indeed a fourth case connected to Carbon County. The individual is a male over 50 years old who tested positive out of state and is being treated out of state. *UPDATE* 6:40 p.m. April 3, 2020 The Carbon County COVID-19 Incident Management Team has issued the following statement: "We were notified by several local residents that the Wyoming Departmen... Full story
In less than a week, Wyoming has seen a rapid increase in the amount of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as testing continues throughout the state. In that time, Carbon County has added two confirmed cases to the statewide total of 28 as of March 23. The first case for Carbon County was announced late Friday evening by Jacquelin Wells, regional nurse supervisor, in a press release to media outlets. “Local officials were notified late today by the Wyoming Department of Health that... Full story
Nobody likes getting a cold or flu at this time of year but, when the weather changes from cold to warm, it happens. Unfortunately, with COVID-19 lurking throughout the country and certain parts of Wyoming, getting a cold could be a sign that this contagious disease has struck a person’s system. What to do if you have a fever, dry cough and symptoms that are a warning of having this disease? Optimally, you go to your healthcare provider and let them take a look to diagnose if you should go a... Full story
Less than a week since issuing his first executive order in conjunction with State Health Officer Alexia Harrist, Governor Mark Gordon has issued his third one this evening, March 24. The order takes effect on March 25 and will have yet another substantial effect on businesses within Wyoming as it closes nail salons, hair salons, barbershops and tattoo parlors. This order follows and and supplements previous orders issues by Gordon. The first, issued on March 19, closed restaurants, bars,... Full story
Late Tuesday night (March 24), the Carbon County COVID-19 Incident Management Team issued a press release stating that local health officials had been notified by the Wyoming Department of Health of a third confirmed case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Carbon County. According to Jacqueline Wells, Public Information Officer for the team, the third case is directly related to the first. "The State of Wyoming Epidemiologists along with the assistance of Carbon County Public Health have... Full story
On Friday afternoon (March 27), Governor Mark Gordon issued a statement that he was extending the date of three statewide health orders through April 17. All three orders, the most recent of which was issued March 24, originally had an end date of April 3. At a press conference on March 25, Gordon stated that he was hesitant to issue a statewide shelter-in-place order, something which the governors of Montana and Colorado have already done. All three orders from Gordon have been in conjunction... Full story
On the afternoon of March 27, Governor Mark Gordon and State Health Officer Alexia Harrist extended three orders aimed at limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The first order, which had been issued March 20, closed schools that had not already done so following recommendations from Gordon and State Superintendent Jillian Balow. A date of April 3 had originally been set by Gordon and Harrist, but has now been extended to April 17. As cases of COVID-19 continued to increase... Full story
Following the announcement of Wyoming's first confirmed case of COVID-19 on the evening of March 11, events moved rather quickly as the Cowboy State began to make preparations to deal with the novel coronavirus. As the number of confirmed cases increased from one person in Sheridan County, measures were taken in attempts to prevent the spread of the virus. On Sunday evening, an announcement from Governor Mark Gordon and State Superintendent Jillian Balow recommended that school districts across... Full story
At the moment, the possible health impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on Wyoming appear to be relatively minimal. Following the weekend, the Wyoming Department of Health confirmed 10 cases of the virus. As the virus makes its way across the country, however, a number of states and metropolitan areas have ordered bars and restaurants to close in an effort to promote social distancing. On Monday afternoon, the mayor of Denver announced that all bars and restaurants were to be shut down... Full story
With how remote many towns in Wyoming are, one might have expected that the panic-buying induced by uncertainty over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) would not reach parts of the Cowboy State. This was proven wrong, however, as posts on social media detailed the stockpiling seen by residents in Rawlins, the Carbon County seat, at both WalMart and City Market. In the days before and the days following reports of Wyoming’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, Wyoming has confirmed 10 as of late M...
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Governor Mark Gordon has endorsed a decision by the Wyoming State Health Officer to close public places for a two-week period to help slow the community spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The closure order extends through April 3 and includes schools, theaters, bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, employee cafeterias, self-serve buffets, salad bars, unpackaged self-serve food services, gyms, conference rooms and museums. “This Governor has never been inclined to overstep local authority, but these are unprecedented times. It is cri... Full story
In light of the first COVID-19 diagnosis in Carbon County, WY, public officials from the Carbon County Health Department, Memorial Hospital of Carbon County, and other agencies are emphasizing the importance of continued community mitigation measures to manage the severity and duration of this illness in Carbon County. Local officials were notified late today by the Wyoming Department of Health that an adult male, over the age of 50, and living in Carbon County, has tested positive for COVID-19. The test was performed at the Wyoming Public... Full story
Lab testing at the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory has identified the first known case of a state resident with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH). Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with WDH, said the patient is an adult female from Sheridan County with some recent domestic travel history. WDH is following up to learn more details about the person’s exposure risk and to identify and communicate with anyone who may have been in close contact with the patient.... Full story
The Saratoga Sun was informed late Thursday morning by Mark Pesognelli, Saratoga Care Center Administrator, that the skilled nursing facility would not be allowing volunteers or visitors for the next 30 days. According to Pesognelli, the decision came following advisement from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Pesognelli informed the Sun that the CDC's advisement to close the skilled nursing facility to visitors and volunteers came following the first reported case of Coronavirus... Full story
*UPDATE 03/13/2020 2 p.m.* The WHSAA has announced that the 3A/4A Basketball Tournament will not take place this year. "We understand the tremendous disappointment this decision is for our student athletes, especially our seniors, but please realize that we must be a responsible state organization and that our highest priority is ensuring the safety of our students, schools and communities," the WHSAA stated in a press release. In addition to announcing that the 3A/4A Basketball Tournament will... Full story