Coronavirus-Related Deaths Added to Wyoming's Total

The total number of deaths among Wyoming residents who have tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has increased by three, according to a Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) press release on Monday, Aug. 17.

A Goshen County adult woman who had health conditions recognized as putting patients at higher risk of serious illness related to COVID-19 died recently. The woman had not been hospitalized.

The July passing of a Sheridan County resident has been added to the state’s total of coronavirus-related deaths. The older adult man had tested positive for the virus and was being cared for in a Montana long-term care facility at the time of his virus exposure and death.

In addition, an older adult Platte County man died in a Florida long-term care facility in July after exposure to the virus there. This person’s death will also be added to Wyoming’s count due to residency.

The recent coronavirus-related death of a man in a Sheridan County hospital will not be added to Wyoming’s total as it was determined the man was an out-of-state resident.

Deaths associated with COVID-19 are being counted by WDH in the same manner as influenza-related deaths have long been reported in Wyoming. Deaths among Wyoming residents are added to the state’s coronavirus-related death total based on the location of a person’s permanent residence and official death certificate information. If the disease did not cause or contribute to the person’s death, that person’s death is not reflected in Wyoming’s count of coronavirus-related deaths even if the person is known to be positive for the virus.

Among Wyoming residents, there have now been 33 coronavirus-related deaths, 2,829 lab-confirmed cases and 502 probable cases reported.

It is not unexpected for death certificate information from other states to be delayed.

For more information about COVID-19, visit: https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/infectious-disease-epidemiology-unit/disease/novel-coronavirus/.