Wyoming’s coronavirus-related hospitalizations dropped to fewer than 200 this week, after the state’s hospitals saw the second-highest peak of the pandemic earlier this month.
As of Thursday, Wyoming had 194 COVID patients, according to the state’s hospitalization tracker.
The most patients were at the Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, with 45. Cheyenne Regional Medical Center followed with 37 patients.
While there may have been somewhat of a downturn in the number of hospitalized patients this week, some intensive care units across the state are still full, such at the South Lincoln Medical Center in Kemmerer, Johnson County Healthcare in Buffalo, Powell Valley Healthcare and SageWest Health Care in Lander.
Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie only had one ICU bed left as of Thursday.
Statewide, there were only 52 ICU beds still available.
Just because someone is in the ICU doesn’t mean they have COVID.
Only 37 of the state’s available ventilators were in use, but as with the ICU, just because someone is on a ventilator doesn’t mean they have COVID.
The average seven-day positivity rate of COVID tests has increased in recent days, hitting 24.01% as of Thursday.
Wyoming Hospital Association president Eric Boley did not immediately return Cowboy State Daily’s request for comment on Friday. Last month, he told Cowboy State Daily that the best solution to combat the growing hospitalization numbers was for people to get vaccinated.
“We’re facing some real challenges, so wearing masks, washing your hands and social distancing will help,” he said in late August. “There’s a lot skepticism in our state about the solutions, but the truth is, COVID is right on our doorstep. Our hospitals and nursing homes are doing all they can, but we really need the public to help us out.”
At the time, the state’s hospitals were treating 178 COVID patients.
The state saw its second-highest hospitalization peak earlier this month, with 230 patients as of Sept. 7. The state’s highest number of hospitalizations was seen in late November, with around 250 patients.
