Officials Say ‘Community Spread’ of COVID-19 Now in Teton County

Health officials in Teton County believe community transmission of COVID-19 is present in the county.

The county had five cases as of Wednesday afternoon. Two of those were announced Wednesday, and testing on the third case was completed Tuesday night.

"The definition of community transmission is having more than one case in a community that are not linked and the source of the infection is unknown. As testing becomes more widely available, more cases can be expected," the Teton County Health Department said in a statement.

Follow-up is ongoing with regard to the two new cases. Anyone who may have had close contact with a COVID-19 patient will be identified and contacted by the state health department for what's known as 'contact tracing' -- an important step to identify those who may have been exposed to the virus as rapidly as possible.

The health department wants to remind all Teton County residents:

• To stay home when sick and to avoid contact with others unless you need to seek medical attention. Individuals with a fever, cough or influenza-like illness, regardless of travel history should call the St. John’s Health hotline at 307-739-4898 options 3 for a phone evaluation. If you are having a true medical emergency, please call 911.
•  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
•  Cover your coughs and sneezes.
•  Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, counter tops, faucets, sinks, phones, keypads, etc.
•  Follow advice from the CDC on how to protect yourself.

Wyoming reported 44 cases of the novel coronavirus Wednesday afternoon. No one has died of the virus in the state, and nearly 1,000 people have been tested.