JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - County officials in Wyoming have said residents could see tighter coronavirus safety measures, including limits on further gatherings as cases surge.
Currently, state coronavirus health orders prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people. Republican Gov. Mark Gordon said Friday that more restrictive health orders could be implemented.
But Teton County District Health Officer Dr. Travis Riddell said he felt it was time to take more drastic action now, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reported.
“I’m not willing to wait,” Riddell said. “These cases have totally overwhelmed the capacity of our state and local health departments.”
The request will next need approval from state health officer Dr. Alexia Harrist, who has granted other variances. Riddell did not give an expected timeline for a decision from Harrist. The details of the measure are unclear.
The Wyoming Department of Health reported Teton County, which includes Jackson, has had 41 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, increasing its active total to 175 as of Friday.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.
Riddell also mentioned that a vaccine may soon offer relief. “There’s a solution on the horizon that can get us through this if we can just make it a few more months and buckle down and do the right thing,” he said.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
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