COVID-19 daily briefing: May 21, 2020

As of 10:30 a.m., May 21, 2020 

1. Wyoming: Confirmed cases of COVID-19: 596. Deaths: 11. Recovered: 534. Probable, untested cases: 191. 
2. By county: Fremont County leads the state with 209 confirmed cases, followed by Laramie with 121, Teton with 69, Natrona with 53 and Campbell and Sweetwater with 17. Two counties, Platte and Weston, have reported no cases. 
3. Testing: 18,649 tests have been administered and processed, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. 
4. United States: 1,555,537 confirmed cases, according to the Johns Hopkins Institute. Total deaths: 93,558 — Total recoveries: 294,312.
5. The latest: The Wyoming Department of Health reported one death and 13 new positive cases Wednesday, which continues a sharper increase in numbers this week than last. The latest death involved a hospitalized Fremont County man who had an existing health condition that put him at higher risk of serious illness related to the virus, DOH reported. The Northern Arapaho Tribe in a Facebook post confirmed the man was a tribal member. His death marks the sixth of a Northern Arapaho tribal member; more than half of the state total of 11. “No words can describe the losses we continue to suffer due to COVID-19,” the tribe’s post said. The tribe on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the Chief Yellow Calf Memorial Powwow, which was scheduled for May 29-30 in Ethete. It also announced new health requirements for participants of the upcoming Pipe Fast starting May 28. All persons attending the fast or coming near the tepee “in any fashion” are required to be tested for COVID-19 by May 22. “We are taking these extreme precautionary measures for all of our safety,” a Facebook post reads. 
6. More news: The state is embarking on a targeted program to monitor and curtail the spread of the virus at Wyoming’s long-term-care facilities such as retirement homes and assisted-living facilities, State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist said during a press conference Wednesday. The effort will involve two prongs. In the first, the state will ask facilities that don’t have a current outbreak to test a portion of their residents and staff every two weeks. “The earlier we identify a potential trouble spot, the more we can take action to limit spread,” Harrist said. Second, the state will instruct any facility that does have a positive case to test all its residents and staff weekly until the potential of an outbreak is deemed unlikely. Harrist and Gov. Mark Gordon also encouraged all Wyoming residents to wear face coverings in public and adhere to health recommendations. “Wearing face coverings in certain settings is a simple step we can all take to protect others,” Harrist said. 

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