JACKSON, Wyo. — Local health representatives presented to a joint board of town and county electeds Monday as to what measures have been taken to deal with a potential outbreak of COVID-19 hitting Teton County.

Jodi Pond, the Director of Health at the TC Health Department, along with Dr. Paul Beaupre, CEO of St. John’s Health, updated local government on steps they were taking to mitigate the spread of the novel virus.

“Currently, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Teton County or in the state of Wyoming. But we practice for an event like this and are prepared,” Pond said during a debrief to elected officials Monday afternoon.

The Teton County Health Department and the Wyoming Department of Health are actively monitoring an outbreak of disease called COVID-19 that is occurring around the world and in other parts of the United States. COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus that emerged in China in early December 2019 and continues to spread in several countries, including the United States.

Currently, there have been no reported cases in Wyoming and the risk to residents remains low.

“We believe the risk for disease is primarily among travelers to other countries with community transmission. However, it is becoming increasingly likely that COVID-19 will eventually spread to our state,” officials warn.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which can cause disease in both humans and animals. As a newly emerging infection, COVID-19 warrants special attention. According to local health officials, there are some characteristics of COVID-19 that are not well understood at this time, including how easily it spreads and how many patients may experience severe illness. Recent data suggests that elderly people and those with pre-existing medical conditions may be at the greatest risk from this disease. There is currently no vaccine.

What’s Happening in Wyoming and Teton County

The Teton County Health Department is working with the Wyoming Department of Health, St. John’s Health, and other local partners throughout Teton County to prepare for possible cases in our community. As this situation develops, Teton County Health Department will activate its Incident Command System to ensure effective communication and coordination with all involved agencies.

What Can You Do?

The most important piece of advice right now is for people to stay informed about COVID-19 and to look for updates and recommendations from credible sources such as the Wyoming Department of Health and the CDC.

For now, residents should pay attention to special travel recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The symptoms reported with this disease are familiar to all of us:  fever, cough and shortness of breath. We know there are common-sense steps that can help prevent these kinds of illnesses from spreading:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
  • Avoid close contact with sick people.
  • If you are sick, limit contact with others as much as possible.
  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.