COVID-19
Wyoming’s First Coronavirus Case Reported
According to information from the Wyoming Department of Health, lab testing at the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory has identified the first known case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state. Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health, said the patient is an adult female from Sheridan County with some recent domestic travel history.
The Wyoming Department of Health 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. Known contacts will be monitored for symptoms and tested if needed. As is currently standard, the test result is considered to be a “presumptive positive” and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will conduct further testing for confirmation. Harrist noted the current risk of transmission in Wyoming remains low for most residents. Harrist added that symptoms reported with this disease are familiar: fever, cough and shortness of breath.
Governor Mark Gordon, in a news release issued by the WDH, said that Wyoming has been planning for this situation for weeks and that state officials will continue coordinated efforts to address this threat. The Governor said that he pledges to work closely with our state agencies, federal partners and local officials to ensure we are implementing all the necessary steps to protect public health.
Experts believe COVID-19 spreads mostly between people who are in close contact and through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. People are thought to be most contagious when they are most ill with obvious symptoms. A person may also get COVID-19 by touching a surface that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes.
Recommended steps that can help avoid the spread of COVID-19 or similar illness include:
· Avoid close contact with sick people.
· While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible.
· Stay home if sick.
· Cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
· Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
· Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60 percent alcohol.
“Travel recommendations and restrictions are also important,” Harrist said. The CDC currently recommends no nonessential travel to China, Iran, South Korea and Italy and no travel on cruise ships.
The CDC also says older adults and travelers with underlying health issues should consider avoiding situations with increased risk for transmission because they are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Examples include avoiding non-essential travel such as long plane trips and avoiding crowded places. For more information about coronavirus disease 2019 and Wyoming, visit: https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/infectious-disease-epidemiology-unit/disease/novel-coronavirus/
For more details on the disease, click here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Mark
March 11, 2020 at 11:07 pm
Does anyone know if the lady is in Sheridan or being treated elsewhere?
Natalie
March 13, 2020 at 8:29 am
She is quarantined at home (in Sheridan) recovering.
Tammie
March 12, 2020 at 9:07 am
Where did she Travel? When did she return back? Did she go to any stores, gas stations, or restaurants? Can you provide this information? Yes, it is very helpful to let us know we have a case here, but not all information was provided. Thank you
James Timberlake
March 12, 2020 at 9:13 am
The information in the story is all the information Sheridan Media received from the Department of Health.
Ezra Petersen
March 12, 2020 at 10:39 am
Yes she was at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and more all about town. How else do you think these things spread? She was possibly at the same places as you, maybe even the same time ! Coughing, sneezing millions of infectious droplets all over this town.
Tom
March 12, 2020 at 11:37 am
This isn’t helpful and possibly untrue.
Sure things are spread from person to person, but that doesn’t mean we have to assume she has been all over town spreading it.
The best estimates are that the fatality rate is somewhere between 0.6-2% mortality if you catch the virus (most likely under 1%). That’s higher than the flue and we need to take this seriously, but to spread panic in the community isn’t helpful.
Ezra Petersen
March 12, 2020 at 12:33 pm
I’m not worried about it at all Tom. I’ve been out and about all day. It’s not an untrue statement to say there is a potential that an infectious person has been in contact with the public.
Shaun
March 12, 2020 at 1:01 pm
Wrong. Case Fatality Rates as reported from China, which notoriously understates casualties from disease, is above 20%. I appreciate VAMC taking extra precautions prior to anyone being allowed to proceed and ask the Senior Center stop all further contacts outside and ban visitors until this matter dissipates. My information is from Apple News: ourworldindata dot org/ coronavirus.
Tammie
March 13, 2020 at 10:37 am
Really Ezra, being a smart butt doesn’t help communicate the severity of the situation. I was asking because this is information the public does need. To make sure those places are using the proper cleaning to protect others. The flu spreads easy because people do not stay home, cover their coughs, or sneezes. They walk around thinking it is okay. Just like other germs that spread around, taking precautions is okay for the public to know. But thank you for your uninformative comment.
sheila Handy
March 12, 2020 at 12:06 pm
It would be helpful to know her travels. Time. By airplane or vehicle? Dates.
Suzanne
March 12, 2020 at 12:19 pm
What does “presumed positive” mean? Was she tested?
Chris
March 12, 2020 at 1:06 pm
It means she tested positive locally and now they send the results to the CDC to have it verified.
Shaun
March 12, 2020 at 1:09 pm
I think it’s fair to rightfully assume we will have cases of Covid-19 coronavirus due to our airport to Denver flights, WalMart, hospital and VAMC which receive many visitors outside Sheridan County. I don’t think it’s right to trash a victim of this due to bad luck with respect to an airborne virus, but hate has been fashionable in Sheridan since Dec 2016.
Darrell D. Bonnet
March 12, 2020 at 2:00 pm
I feel sorry for the person that has contacted the virus. We should all know that it really isn’t her fault. Would it be better to release the name so you would know if you were in contact with this person.
Shelley
March 21, 2020 at 8:14 am
We have 22 cases and how many deaths 9? Pretty high mortality rate for Wyoming. In Laramie people are complsining that they are being turned away for testing though they have traveled to hot spots and now have symptoms.
Ezra petersen
March 22, 2020 at 11:19 pm
Where on earth, or other inhabited areas of whatever constellation, are you getting this information?Wyoming has not reported any deaths due to covid 19. Not saying there hasn’t been any but if you have some other channel to get information please share. (Sarcasm off).
Mike Kuzara
March 22, 2020 at 12:25 pm
Lander has contributed the largest number to the state count of infected people when an assisted living facility took a hit. One lady took her mother out for some family time but suspected something was wrong. Apparently she was judged to be okay so sh went back into the facility. Later, as it became apparent she might be positive the verification took too long and then it was too late. I guess they locked the place down and now all affected family members are encouraged to “hunker”. Yesterday I could wait no longer to pick up essential medicine for my wife, a transplant recipient with suppressed immune system. In line at the pharmacy was a woman who was continually coughing, To her credit she did so into the elbow of her sweater. But she also wiped her nose on her other hand and on her sweater sleeve. she idly picked up items off the nearby shelves, looked at them and put them back. (bored, I guess) When she got to the counter, she leaned in the window and slid her snot filled sweater across the counter! Obviously this person is so clueless and oblivious it is beyond belief! They are out there, folks, and they’re out to get you.