Latest Wyoming News

VIRUS OUTBREAK-WYOMING

Multiple COVID-19 variants discovered in Wyoming

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Department of Health has announced multiple coronavirus variants were discovered in Wyoming over the past several months. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported Tuesday that the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory recently analyzed genetic sequencing from multiple positive samples collected from residents since November and found at least 40 cases involved the variant found in the U.K., more than 40 cases combined involved two variants found in California and one case involved the variant found in South Africa. State Epidemiologist Dr. Alexia Harrist said residents should get the vaccine and continue following safety guidelines.

WYOMING UNEMPLOYMENT

Wyoming unemployment rate nudged up in February after drop

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming’s unemployment rate ticked up in February. The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services says the February rate was 5.3%, up from 5.1% in January and 5.2% in December. The increase ended a downward trend in unemployment that followed the easing of coronavirus public health orders. Wyoming’s unemployment rate reached 8.5% last May but fell over the summer, reaching 5.4% in October. Still, Wyoming’s rate this past February was nearly 1 point lower than the U.S. average. The Casper Star-Tribune reports Wyoming had about 15,000 fewer jobs than it did a year earlier. Natrona County in February had Wyoming’s highest unemployment, 8.9%.