COVID-19 concerns grow

The CEO of Castle Rock Medical Center is urging the Green River City Council to draft and pass a mandate requiring people to wear masks in public places throughout Green River.

The request comes after Sweetwater County recorded its third COVID-19-related death and as contact tracing and testing efforts are being overwhelmed locally.

Bailie Dockter, CEO of the medical center, said the spread of COVID-19 in the community has been slow, but steadily increasing. The medical center is one of two facilities conducting COVID-19 tests in the county and as of Monday, conducted 1,945 tests. She said in the last week, 20% of tests performed at the medical center have come back positive, a rate that has drastically increased during the last week. The rate of which they’re testing residents has also increased as it performed 60 drive-through tests on Monday alone. Testing at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County has also increased

She asked the Council to consider a mandate as people are not following recommendations to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Mayor Pete Rust told Dockter the Council would consider the mandate. Dockter also said the Rock Springs City Council will also receive a request to create a mask mandate. Green River’s increase of COVID-19 cases is especially concerning according to a press release from Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. Wastewater monitoring has shown a significant increase in COVID-19 within Green River and the county’s public health officer, Dr. Jean Stachon, is concerned with a surge of COVID-19 infections.

“As the numbers statewide are going up, we’re like this little oasis,” Stachon told Sweetwater Memorial’s Incident Command team last week. “Our numbers look better than most Wyoming counties. However, we’re struggling to keep that record.”

She said while people while working have been following health guidelines, but that isn’t the case all the time.

“But when they leave work, the masks come off,” she said. “Residents should continue to wear masks and maintain social distancing when going shopping or out to an event. Continue to take precautions when people from outside of your household visit, even if they are family. Take precautions around everyone, especially those that do not live in your household.”

As of Monday afternoon, the Wyoming Department of Health reported 5,117 active COVID-19 cases in the state, a total number growing by 157 despite 287 recoveries being reported. Another 31 unconfirmed, but probable COVID-19 cases were recorded Monday. Those cases involve people who have had contact with someone who tested positive for the disease and show symptoms.

“We are concerned by the increase in the numbers all around us and within our community,” MHSC’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Melinda Poyer, said in a press release. “Patients with COVID-19 are requiring admission to Wyoming hospitals at a much higher rate across the state. Combine that with Utah’s larger, Level 1 trauma care hospitals reporting patient capacity, and the situation is very, very worrisome.”

According to Sweetwater Public Health, the county’s third COVID-19 death occurred Oct. 31. The person who died was identified as a Rock Springs resident in his 60s who had originally tested positive Oct. 23. He also had health conditions identified as putting patients at a higher risk of serious illnesses related to COVID-19.

As of Monday, the hospital had two patients hospitalized for COVID-19.