COVID-19 Daily Update - December 2

*In this week's paper, we reported that the county health officer had requested, but not yet been granted, a mask mandate for Crook County. Please note that this countywide mask order has now been granted and is in effect*

Face coverings must be worn by all adults outside of their place of residence when inside/in line to enter any retail or commercial business or government facility open to the general public (excluding state and federal buildings); when visiting healthcare operations; or when waiting for or riding public transport or riding in a taxi.

Employees, owners and volunteers of retail and commercial businesses and volunteers of government facilities open to the general public (excluding state and federal buildings) must wear face coverings when interacting with the public or in spaces visited by members of the public.

Exceptions include that masks are not required in personal offices; for minors; when seated at an acceptable distance at a food service venue; when at a place providing congregate or residential care while involved in activities not conducive to a face covering (such as eating); if you have a medical or mental health condition or disability preventing you from wearing a face covering; if you are communicating with a hearing impaired person; if wearing a face covering would create a risk related to your work (as determined by relevant workplace safety guidelines); while actively exercising in a gym in accordance with statewide health orders; when asked to provide identification to a retailer or service provider; and when law enforcement requires your face covering be removed for identification.

Wyoming's total lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 have increased by 577 since yesterday and now stand at 29,966. Probable cases have increased by 126 to 4541.

Crook County has had a total of 290 confirmed cases and 23 probables after 4 new confirmed cases and 1 probable case were reported today. Of those cases, 35 confirmed and 2 probable are currently active.

230 people have died as a result of COVID-19 in Wyoming. Crook County has recorded 5 deaths.

A total of 23,113 confirmed and 3455 probable cases have recovered.

Laramie County reported 159 new cases; Campbell County had 61; Natrona County had 55; Sheridan County had 47; Sweetwater County had 32; Goshen County had 27; Teton County had 24; Uinta County had 22; Fremont County had 21; Sublette County had 20; Park County had 16; Albany and Washakie counties each reported 15 new cases; Lincoln County had 14; Big Horn County had 12; Hot Springs County had nine; Carbon County had seven; Johnson County had six; Weston County had five; Converse and Crook reported four cases each; and Platte County had two new cases.

The number of active coronavirus cases in Wyoming on Wednesday was 7,709, an increase of 137 over yesterday's 7,572.

Of the statewide metrics used to make decisions regarding the virus, five of six are marked as "concerning": the percentage of all tests with a positive result over the last two weeks, new cases and total reported hospital admissions due to COVID-19, total hospital bed availability and total ICU bed availability.

The sixth metric is marked as "stable" (amber level): percentage of cases attributed to community spread.