Although the number of people sick with COVID-19 continues to drop in Park County, the number of deaths continues to rise, apparently tied to the recent surge in cases.

This week, the Wyoming Department of Health announced the deaths of nine more county residents tied to COVID-19. The disease has now caused or contributed to the deaths of 88 local residents since the pandemic began in March 2020, coming among 5,250 confirmed and probable cases.

In a positive development, the number of people actively infected and hospitalized with the disease has been sinking in recent weeks. 

As of Wednesday, there were 11 people being treated for COVID-19 at hospitals in the county, with seven patients at Cody Regional Health and four at Powell Valley Healthcare. That was down from 15 COVID patients a week earlier.

Meanwhile, the overall number of people with active confirmed and probable cases of the disease sank to 94 cases on Wednesday, according to Department of Health data. That’s about half as many cases as were reported two weeks earlier.

Late last month, Park County Health Officer Dr. Aaron Billin had warned that the amount of COVID-19 being detected in Cody’s sewer system was on the rise again and could signal a resurgence of cases. However, in what Billin described last week as a pleasant surprise, the virus levels in the wastewater “quickly turned down” instead.

As of Monday, 11,787 Park County residents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, representing about 40.4% of the population. That was 76 more people than the prior week.