Seventh person tests positive for COVID-19

Sweetwater County healthcare agencies were notified Thursday, April 9, 2020, by a private lab that Sweetwater County has its seventh case of COVID-19.

The lab has confirmed a female in her 20s, living in Green River, has tested positive for COVID-19. The patient remains in good condition and continues to self-isolate at home, according to Sweetwater County Public Health. The Castle Rock Medical Center Lab test connected her to the sixth case.

Dr. Jean Stachon, Sweetwater County Health Officer, said community spread is a concern. If someone tests positive but a specific source for their infection cannot be determined, it will become more difficult to contain the outbreak of COVID-19 in Sweetwater County.

The first and second confirmed positive Sweetwater County patients are now fully recovered. The third, fourth and fifth patients remain in self-isolation in good condition with only mild symptoms treatable from home. The sixth patient is in fair condition and continues to manage the illness in self-isolation from home. Contact tracing suggests the fifth confirmed patient is tied to the second and third patients, and the sixth patient tied to the fourth patient.

Through contact tracing, probable cases are identified. A “probable” case is defined as a close contact of a confirmed positive who is symptomatic, but who has not been tested in an effort to conserve testing supplies.

To stop community spread, it’s important to stay 6-feet away from people you are not housed with, send only one person to the grocery story, and stay home if possible.

“This means no gatherings with people you are not housed with. It means no playdates. It means no parties for young adults,” said Jason Mower, Chief Public Information Officer for the Sweetwater County Emergency Operations Center.

If you have a temperature of 100 or greater or a cough, call your provider or call the MHSC COVID-19 Nurse Triage Line at 307-522-8523 to discuss COVID-19 symptoms. Don’t touch your T-zone – eyes, nose and mouth. Cover your cough –cough and sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue, NOT in your hands.

More health and community updates can be found at sweetwatermemorial.com, sweetwater311.org, covid19.wyo.gov., and cdc.gov.