The following is a press release from the Fremont County Emergency Council:
As most of you already know, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) confirmed seven new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Fremont County late last night.
The new confirmed cases are all either staff members or residents of the Showboat Retirement Center, an assisted living facility in Lander. As a result, each is directly connected to the first case confirmed from there on March 13. Of the total eight positive Fremont County cases, two are hospitalized. Additional testing of some county residents is pending. Statewide, test results have been confirmed for approximately 105 residents so far including the 10 positive cases; remaining 95 tests results have been negative.
After initial WDH involvement and investigation together with Fremont County Public Health (FCPH) over the weekend in Lander, it was decided that community transmission was likely to have occurred for the first patient to get ill. However, I do not believe that community transmission is currently widespread. There are many actions we can all take to reduce the spread of this virus.
The WDH placed an official quarantine on all residents and patient care staff and strict self-quarantine on remaining staff. These actions remain in place. WDH and FCPH staff continue to interview other staff members of the facility and their contacts. FCPH is assisting by investigating any contacts whom potentially could have been exposed.
This situation reminds us all how important it is to stay home when we are sick unless we need medical attention. It is especially important to understand and respect the special limitations on visitation and other measure at our long-term care facilities.
The Incident Management team, which had been implemented on 3/16/20 by the Fremont County Emergency Council, is now working directly with FCPH as part of this ongoing management process.
More information about COVID-19 can be found here.