COVID-19 Update: Sweetwater Memorial Sees 40-Plus Patients Per Day

COVID-19 Update: Sweetwater Memorial Sees 40-Plus Patients Per Day


SWEETWATER COUNTY — While Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County is reporting less COVID-19 related inpatients, it’s emergency room is averaging 40-plus patients a day.

As Sweetwater County Public Health officials continue to send out COVID-19 updates, we’ll look them over and pass on any new information to our readers.

Here’s what is new in this week’s update.

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Public Health

The recent transmission indicators by county showed a large increase of current active cases
from 119 last week to 183 this week. “We reached out to State Epi and there was a backlog in reporting active cases from previous weeks that inflated the numbers,” public heath stated. The State department is working on resolving this issue.

As of Thursday, November 12, Sweetwater County’s 14-day rolling average positivity rate is at 8.1 percent, which is up from 7 percent last week. Transmission levels have increased to the “orange zone” and Sweetwater is back to “red zone” overall, meaning the county has a high transmission rate.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Sweetwater County has 94 confirmed deaths.

Vaccinations

As of November 8, there have been 16,278, or 38.44 percent, fully vaccinated individuals in Sweetwater County.

Pfizer Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5-11 has been approved for use and public health vaccinated 155 pediatric patients at during its first clinic on November 5 and have given a total of 174 so far.

Hospital Update

Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County (MHSC) is reporting the number of COVID-19 inpatients is lower than in past weeks. Since the beginning of November, MHSC is caring for four to eight COVID-19 inpatients daily.

While the inpatient numbers have lowered, the Emergency Room remains busy. The number of ER visits continues to average 40-plus patients a day. ER physicians continue to send COVID-19 patients home on oxygen, as well as children with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

College update

Western Wyoming Community College is reporting five confirmed COVID-19 cases with six positive cases this week. Since the beginning of the fall semester, Western has seen a total of 61 cases.