Coronavirus Cases Rise in Albany County; UW Community Urged to Follow Guidelines

Members of the University of Wyoming community are reminded to follow social distancing and other health guidelines, following a significant increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Albany County in recent days.

The Wyoming Department of Health reports that the number of confirmed cases has grown from 10 to 21 since Thursday. Eight of those people have fully recovered, according the Albany County Public Health Office. In addition to the confirmed cases, four citizens are listed as “probable” for infection.

A number of those positive cases are UW students or people of traditional college age. None are reported to be living in UW housing or working on campus. County public health officials are working with those who tested positive to self-isolate and are communicating with individuals with whom they have had contact.

“The main cause of the dramatic increase seems to be graduation parties, camping trips and other social situations where people did not practice social distancing and other recommended practices,” says Dr. Jean Allais, county public health officer. “Further, symptomatic and non-symptomatic patients returned to work and their families, furthering the spread.”

Allais emphasizes that the pandemic continues to be a public health emergency.

“Even though businesses and the community continue to open slowly, pandemic practices of social distancing, washing your hands frequently and cleaning of work surfaces continue to be important," Allais says. “Since people can be contagious even if they don’t have symptoms, wearing a mask when in public is a good way to keep others safe from person-to-person transmission. Wearing a mask reduces the distance the virus can spread via respiratory droplets and ‘spray.’ Social distancing is most important, particularly if you’re in a large group.”

If you are sick with COVID-19, waiting for a test result on COVID-19 or showing symptoms associated with COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, shortness of breath), please stay away from campus, self-isolate and contact your health care provider for care. You should go to this site -- https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?UnivofWyoming&layout_id=2  -- and fill out the form so that the university can make sure you’re receiving appropriate care.