The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wyoming has risen to 19. Those cases are spread between Sheridan, Fremont, Park, Laramie and Teton Counties.
The newest confirmed case was reported on the morning of Friday, March 20 in Fremont County, bringing the total there to 9 cases. According to the Wyoming Department of Health, the new case is directly related to a cluster of eight residents and staff of Lander's Showboat Retirement Center who have tested positive for COVID-19.
"We are expecting the number of cases to rise in Fremont County," said Lander Assistant Mayor Rajean Strube Fossen.
Fossen said the number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at SageWest Health Care in Lander has risen from three to four, though none of those patients is in critical condition or on a ventilator. She added that a shipment of medical equipment is on its way to the county.
"Test kits and PPE, that's personal protective equipment, have been routed to our Fremont County incident command center. And we have hundreds of tests available to us in Fremont County," Fossen said.
As of 10:30 am Friday morning, the Wyoming Department of Health had completed 334 COVID-19 tests. One Wyoming resident had been tested through a Centers For Disease Control lab, and 15 had been tested by commercial labs.
Lander residents are shaken by the apparent community spread of COVID-19 taking place there, according to Fossen, but many are stepping up to assist others who are vulnerable
"The citizens in general are being amazing and trying to help other citizens," Fossen said. "There is a contingent of panic and disbelief. We just have to overshadow those sentiments with, pull together Lander, and we'll get through this.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Savannah Maher, at smaher4@uwyo.edu.
