State officials say there are no known cases of coronavirus in Wyoming, but they have plans in place to try and minimize an outbreak.
During a news conference, Governor Mark Gordon said state health, education, and even military officials have been preparing for the virus to arrive in Wyoming. Gordon urged residents to wash their hands frequently, stay home if they become ill, cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze and cough, as well as avoid areas where the disease could be transmitted.
State Health Officer Alexia Harrist said those who face the biggest threat are older people who are susceptible to illness. Harrist added that state health officials are using their experience with similar viruses to prepare for coronavirus.
"These are types of activities that we are really doing every day. So trying to detect illness early, trying to identify sources of illness, working with people who might have had contact with that illness to make recommendations for how they can monitor their health and prevent others from getting sick," said Harrist. "We have these systems in place and are using them now for this new virus."
Harrist admits that it's difficult to predict how much the virus could spread in Wyoming.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Bob Beck, at btwo@uwyo.edu.