SWEETWATER COUNTY — Sweetwater County has averaged around 30 additional laboratory confirmed COVID-19 Coronavirus positive cases per day in the last three days, according to Sweetwater County Public Health Officer Dr. Jean Stachon.
“Our numbers are really going up,” Stachon said.
Stachon said since Friday, the County has seen an increase of close to 100 cases. On Friday, the day started off with 663 cases and by the end of the day Sunday, November 9, that number was up to 761. Currently, the county has around 780 cases after 20 more cases were already added this morning.
The county now has more than 200 active cases and four deaths, with two of the most recent deaths taking place in the last two weeks.
As for positivity rate, that is also increasing. Stachon believes the number of those being tested and those tests coming back positive for the virus is around 24 percent at the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County (MHSC).
Currently, four Sweetwater County residents are hospitalized at the MHSC and Stachon believes the county will see more. Those who are hospitalized range in age from 40s to 70s.
“You can expect to see hospitalizations and problems due to COVID-19 in the weeks ahead,” Stachon said.
Statewide Face Mask Mandate
Stachon said a majority of Wyoming’s Public Health officials have wrote letters to Governor Mark Gordon asking that he impose a statewide face mask mandate. Stachon said she hopes to hear from the Governor by the end of the week.
Stachon said the state of Wyoming itself is having a hard time keeping up with the amount of COVID-19 cases being reported and its contact tracing efforts have decreased significantly.
“We are starting to see a strain on the medical system,” Stachon said.
Even if a statewide mask mandate was imposed, the state wouldn’t see the impact of that for at least two to three weeks after it was put into place. She said this would put the state right into the start of the Holiday season, with Thanksgiving only a couple weeks away.
With this in mind, Stachon is reminding residents to wear masks, continue social distancing, and frequently wash their hands.
THE LATEST COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS NEWS & INFO FROM THE WYOMING DEPT. OF HEALTH
What to do if you feel sick: If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and are showing symptoms, please call your primary care provider or seek medical attention.
Please follow these tips to slow the spread of this virus:
- Follow Public Health Orders
- Practice social distancing of 6 feet or more.
- Wear cloth face coverings in public settings, especially when physical distancing of at least 6 feet isn’t available.
- Stay home when sick and avoid other people unless you need medical attention.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Older people and those with health conditions that mean they have a higher chance of getting seriously ill should avoid close-contact situations.
- Long-term care and healthcare facilities should follow guidelines for infection control and prevention.
For current news, updates, closures and resources, please visit our COVID-19 Coronavirus page here.
