The Wyoming Medical Center in Casper is discontinuing visits later this week after a spike in coronavirus cases across the state.
The hospital announced Wednesday that it would stop visitations as of Friday until further notice. The only exceptions will be laboring mothers (who can have one support person) and children under the age of 18, who can have one adult visitor.
“These are unprecedented times, and we are taking this very rare action to help ensure patient safety as well as the safety of their loved ones, caregivers and community members,” hospital officials said in a statement.
WMC officials did not immediately return a call from Cowboy State Daily asking for comment.
According to hospitalization data compiled by the Wyoming Department of Health, the WMC only has one available bed left in its intensive care unit and 27 people are currently in that hospital with the coronavirus. Five of them are on ventilators.
There are 104 people in the state hospitalized with the virus. Cheyenne Regional Medical Center has 24 patients in ICU with the virus, just behind the Wyoming Medical Center.
Statewide, there are more than 3,800 active coronavirus cases. Wyoming has seen more than 10,000 cases since the pandemic began in March.
