Coronavirus-Related Death Announced in Nursing Home

The Wyoming Department of Health announced Thursday that a Washakie County resident previously identified as one of Wyoming’s laboratory-confirmed coronavirus cases has died. According to the Department of Health, the older man was a resident of a Washakie County long-term care facility identified earlier as experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. Testing at the Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has so far identified five cases of COVID-19 among staff, and six cases among residents.

Wyoming State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist announced this week that the State is implementing a proactive testing program focused on long-term care facilities, such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Dr. Harrist said in a news conference that the plan is to collect samples of at least 20 percent of residents and staff every two weeks for facilities not experiencing an outbreak. She said that any facilities with at least one positive test for COVID-19, will be asked to test all of their staff and residents weekly until there are no more cases within the facility.

Natrona County Health Officials confirmed Thursday that a patient at a long-term care facility in Casper had tested positive for COVID-19. Approximately 265 residents and staff of the Life Care Center of Casper were tested and asked to quarantine. The news of the long-term care facility comes one day after  a child tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the closure of a Casper daycare center. 32 employees and children of the daycare center have been tested for the virus. As of Thursday night, there are now 12 reported deaths, 608 lab-confirmed cases and 193 probable cases  of COVID-19 reported so far among Wyoming residents.