COVID-19 daily briefing: April 24, 2020

As of 9:30 a.m., April 24, 2020 

1. Wyoming: Confirmed cases of COVID-19: 332. Deaths: 7 — Recovered: 279. Probable, untested cases: 121. 
2. By county: Laramie County leads the state with 81 confirmed cases, followed by Teton with 63, Fremont with 53, Natrona with 39 and Campbell with 14. Two counties, Platte and Weston, have reported no cases. 
3. Testing: 7,764 tests have been administered and processed, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. Experts and officials agree positive test numbers fall well short of the reality of the disease’s spread.
4. United States: 869,172 confirmed cases, according to the Johns Hopkins Institute. Total deaths: 49,963 — Total recoveries: 80,934.
5. The latest: Gov. Mark Gordon on Thursday unveiled a plan to transition Wyoming to a new phase of COVID-19 response. The plan includes modification of some health orders, ongoing analysis of health data and easing some restrictions on businesses. Businesses likely to be allowed to start reopening under the plans include barber shops, salons and gyms, Gordon said in a Thursday press conference. The state will next week release modified orders that will allow county-level flexibility based on data, according to a Facebook post on Gordon’s page. The schedule for the transition will be driven by progress rather than dates, he said, stressing the importance of continuing measures like social distancing and mask use. “It remains critical for citizens to continue to follow the public health guidance that has been issued,” he said. 
6. More news: Schools around the state should be prepared to have students remain at their homes through the end of the school year, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said during Gordon’s news conference. Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said park officials still do not know when the park might open for the season. Dr. Alexia Harrist, the state’s health officer, said the state has received enough COVID-19 testing supplies to resume testing all samples collected from patients around the state. The state lab had previously restricted testing due to a lack of supplies. 

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