No reported cases of coronavirus to date in Wyoming
March 2, 2020
The Wyoming Department of Health reports they are closely monitoring the situation and sharing their recommendations.
At this time there are no reported cases in Wyoming and the risk to our residents from the disease remains low.
"Currently we believe the risk for disease is primarily among travelers to other countries with community transmission. However, it is becoming increasingly likely that COVID-19 will eventually spread to our state," said Alexia Harrist MD, PhD, Wyoming State Epidemiologist and State Health Officer.
Six people have died to date in the United States due to the coronavirus. For comparison perspective, the Centers for Disease Control report that 8,200 people have died and 140,000 people have been hospitalized during the 2019-2020 flu season, according to preliminary estimates.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some of which cause the common cold in people and others that circulate among animals. Dr. Harrist says this is a new virus and new viruses need special attention. "There are simply some things we dont know about COVID-19 such as how easily it spreads and how many patients may experience severe illness, and there is no available vaccine," she said. Symptoms of the disease are fever, cough and shortness of breath.
Here are common-sense steps that can help prevent these kinds of illnesses from spreading:
Avoid close contact with sick people.
While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible.
Stay home if sick.
Cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60 percent alcohol.
Coronavirus information and updates can be found here:
https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/infectious-disease-epidemiology-unit/disease/novel-coronavirus/
Wyoming residents can stay apprised of special travel recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
If you are interested in receiving news releases from the Wyoming Department of Health, you can sign up here: https://health.wyo.gov/news/
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