Wyoming Department of Corrections: COVID-19 update

The Wyoming Department of Corrections is continuing to conduct COVID-19 testing on all staff and inmates within its institutions and offices.  

According to a WDOC press release, in the last two weeks, mandatory testing was completed at the Wyoming Honor Farm in Riverton and the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins. A total of 1187 tests on inmates, staff and contract staff were conducted – 311 at the honor farm and 876 at the state penitentiary.  

There were no positive COVID cases reported from the tests conducted at the honor farm.

There were 15 positive cases reported within the inmate population at the state penitentiary.  In addition, there were 2 positive cases reported among state penitentiary staff, and 7 positive cases reported among the penitentiary’s contract healthcare staff.   

WDOC is closely following the most up to date guidelines from the Wyoming Department of Health and Center for Disease Control, which includes isolating positive inmates, quarantining positive staff away from the workplace, and plans are underway to conduct facility wastewater sampling in an effort to minimize risk.  

Testing began on July 27, at the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington and was expected to be completed within 24 hours. Results will be reported when they become available.  

Once testing is completed at all WDOC facilities and offices, random testing on 20% of the staff and inmate population will be conducted on a continuous basis and will be adjusted as necessary.  

All new inmates coming into WDOC facilities are quarantined for 14 days upon arrival and are tested twice during that period.