Articles written by Morgan Hughes


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  • Wyoming leads on COVID-19 variant testing

    Morgan Hughes, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Aug 5, 2021

    CASPER – As COVID-19 variants emerge globally, Wyoming is by a wide margin leading the nation in work to identify those mutations. Nearly 19% of COVID-19 tests in Wyoming are being genetically sequenced, meaning the department is analyzing the genetic base pairs that make up the virus’ DNA to identify mutations. Washington state places second, with fewer than 8% of tests sequenced, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of states are analyzing fewer than 3% of virus tests. As more virus mutations have eme...

  • University of Wyoming proposes 75 layoffs, program changes

    Morgan Hughes, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Jul 15, 2021

    CASPER — The University of Wyoming on Tuesday proposed sweeping changes at the institution, including budget cuts that would lay off 75 positions — some tenured, a reorganization of a slew of academic departments, and the formation of a school of computing — among other additions. The proposal must be approved by the university’s board of trustees, which meets all this week in Torrington. If approved, it would still require a formal public review for 120 days, a process mandated by the university’s regulation 2-13. Trustees are expected...

  • Storm delays COVID vaccine shipments

    Morgan Hughes, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Mar 18, 2021

    CASPER — Vaccines headed for Wyoming will be delayed as residents emerge from a record-setting winter storm that dumped more than two feet of snow on parts of the state this weekend. Federal officials halted shipments of the vaccine into Wyoming until the storm clears, though it remains up in the air when those shipments will arrive, Wyoming Department of Health spokeswoman Kim Deti said via email. “They aren’t going to send us shipments when airports may be closed or when roads are closed,” Deti said. “We know our shipments into the state thi...

  • COVID-19 hospitalizations hit record in Wyoming

    Morgan Hughes, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Oct 21, 2020

    CASPER — The number of people in Wyoming who were being hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment rose to 73 on Monday, a higher total than at any previous point in the pandemic. Monday’s total is more than twice what it was when the month began and exceeded the previous high set Sunday. Sixty-eight hospitalizations were reported to the state Monday, but the number did not include five patients hospitalized at Jackson’s St. Johns Health. The new rash of hospitalizations mirror a surge of COVID-19 cases reported statewide since late September, when ca...