More Than Half Of Carbon County’s Coronavirus Cases From Prison

A coronavirus outbreak at the Wyoming State Penitentiary is responsible for more than half of the total of coronavirus cases seen in Carbon County

JA
Jim Angell

August 28, 20202 min read

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A coronavirus outbreak at the Wyoming State Penitentiary is responsible for more than half of the total of coronavirus cases seen in Carbon County since the pandemic began in March.

The Wyoming Department of Corrections has reported that a total of 114 inmates and staff members at the prison have tested positive for the illness, 61.6% of the county’s total number of cases seen, 185, since the illness was first diagnosed in Wyoming in March.

The most recent tests of inmates and staff members revealed five new cases among inmates and no new cases among staff, the Department of Corrections announced Thursday.

The department had announced earlier this month that its tests revealed 89 cases among inmates, including 22 who have recovered, and 20 cases among staff members, including 13 staff members who have recovered.

In its release Thursday, the department said it was encouraged by the slow growth of coronavirus cases at the penitentiary.

“We are very encouraged as this indicates our containment efforts have successfully reduced transmission,” the news release said.

While Fremont County still has the highest total number of coronavirus cases seen since mid-March at 528 as of Thursday, Carbon County has the highest number of people who are still ill, 127.

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Jim Angell

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