CHEYENNE — Gov. Mark Gordon declared a state of emergency in response to the nationwide coronavirus pandemic Friday, corresponding with President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency.

“This does not represent an escalation of concern but allows us to quickly activate the Wyoming National Guard,” Gordon explained in a press conference with Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health Friday afternoon.

The declaration will also make state businesses eligible to apply for federal funding from the Small Business Association to offset the impact of coronavirus, Gordon said. (Find more information on the emergency loan program.)

Harrist added the declaration will give the WDH a broader ability to combat the outbreak, such as prescribe medications to groups of people or ask groups of people to quarantine themselves.

As of Friday at 5:30 p.m., Wyoming has one positive case of COVID-19, which was reported in Sheridan Wednesday. As of Friday afternoon, 22 tests had been run with more underway.

The fact that Wyoming has confirmed only one positive case at this point may be due to the highly complex testing process.

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