Natrona County COVID-19 Total Up to 58; Community Spread Possible
Natrona County's newest COVID-19 patient is a woman in her forties with unknown exposure, and local health officials say she may have contracted the virus through community transmission.
The woman, whose exposure is currently unknown, brings the county's total number of COVID-19 cases to 58. The Casper-Natrona County Health Department is working to trace her contacts and identify anyone else who may need to be tested for the coronavirus.
"Due to increased testing capacity, we will provide testing to any contacts who may need it," the department said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
The term 'community transmission' describes an instance when health officials are unable to determine the exact circumstances under which the patient contracted the virus.
Also Tuesday, health officials announced that Learning Junction, a Casper childcare facility, will reopen after they determined a recently announced case of COVID-19 was unrelated to the establishment.
Officials say another recently publicized case at Life Care Center of Casper was unrelated to that facility as well. Should all staff and residents test negative for the coronavirus this week, their quarantines will be lifted.
The determination that neither case was related to its respective facility was made following contact tracing by health officials.