Public health officials in Campbell County are warning the spread of the coronavirus in the community is likely wider than confirmed cases show.
There are five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Campbell County as of Wednesday evening, but the local public health department says it's monitoring 159 individuals who may have the disease. Those people and their families are in home-isolation.
Campbell County Public Health Executive Director Jane Glaser said there are limited testing supplies. Anyone who has symptoms and isn't in need of hospitalization is not getting tested, but being treated as a possible positive.
"If we are not able to begin testing, I think we are definitely going to see an increase in home-isolation because we are just seeing so many people with the symptoms. And at this point, there's not an option except that we have to assume that they may possibly have COVID," she said.
Campbell County Health is providing a phone line for screening. Health care workers will determine if patients should see a doctor for further treatment if they are symptomatic for the coronavirus. Symptoms include a fever, dry cough, bodyaches and headaches.
If someone is symptomatic but doesn't need to immediately see a doctor, the hospital advises them to start self-quarantine and home isolation, Glaser said.
She said Campbell County Public Health will receive their name and add it a patient list which is updated daily. Public health then calls those patients daily to monitor their symptoms as well as the entire household.
Glaser said more testing would likely increase the number of confirmed cases in the county.
"We need to be able to do more testing in the community, we are definitely going to see more positives because we just haven't had the opportunity to test so once you're testing, your chances of positives are going to go up," she said.
The Wyoming Department of Health is continuing to update its guidance for health care providers when it comes to testing priorities.
"Providers should manage any persons with acute febrile or respiratory illness that cannot be attributed to other causes as being potentially infected with SARS-CoV-2. Most patients with confirmed COVID-19 have developed fever and/or symptoms of acute respiratory illness (cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat)," according to the department's March 28 guidance document.
Kim Deti, with the department, said in an email setting these priorities allows the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory to process tests more effectively.
"All samples from symptomatic patients have been, and continue to be, accepted at the WPHL. Our prioritization list for sample testing in the case of heavy volume and for public health. We need to prioritize testing severely ill patients who are hospitalized, patients who are elderly or have chronic medical conditions and are at risk for severe illness, people who have close contact with others who are at risk for severe illness, and healthcare workers," she said.
Though Deti said it's up to individual providers to use their discretion whether a patient should be tested for COVID-19.
To combat the spread of the coronavirus, health officials are recommending social distancing. Glaser said that's something people in Campbell County can improve upon. She said picking up necessary supplies like medication or groceries is appropriate.
"But then you need to, for the most part, staying at home, not attending social gatherings, try to avoid people coming to your home or going to someone else's home. It's a good time to be at home with your own family and not trying to socialize in the neighborhood so to speak," Glaser said.
According to the county, Public Health has released 15 people from home isolation. The patient who was Campbell County's first case was released from quarantine on March 26.
This story has been updated to include testing information from the Wyoming Department of Health, as well as the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Campbell County.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Catherine Wheeler, at cwheel11@uwyo.edu.
