By The Wyoming News Exchange

With new confirmed coronavirus cases reported in almost half of the state’s counties, Wyoming on Friday saw its case count increase by the second-largest number since the illness was first detected in the state in mid-March.

The Wyoming Department of Health, in its daily coronavirus update, said 34 new cases were reported on Thursday, the highest since 36 were reported on June 25.

The increase brings to 1,267 the total number of cases seen since the pandemic began.

New cases were reported in Albany, Campbell, Carbon, Fremont, Goshen, Laramie, Lincoln, Natrona, Park, Sweetwater and Uinta counties. Sweetwater County saw the largest increase with eight new cases, while Natrona County reported seven new cases.

As of Friday, the number of laboratory-confirmed cases seen since March was 323 in Fremont County; 184 in Laramie County; 145 in Uinta County; 116 in Natrona County; 103 in Teton County; 91 in Sweetwater; 54 in Park; 45 in Campbell; 34 in Washakie; 32 in Albany; 28 in Lincoln; 19 in Sheridan; 17 in Big Horn; 16 in Converse and Johnson; 14 in Carbon; nine in Hot Springs; seven in Crook; five in Goshen; three in Platte and Sublette; two in Weston, and one in Niobrara.

The Department of Health’s total case figures account for all cases seen since the illness was first detected in Wyoming. They do not take into account the recoveries or the 20 deaths caused by the coronavirus.

The number of probable cases in Wyoming, those where a patient has coronavirus symptoms and has been exposed to the illness but has not been tested for it, was set at 315 seen since mid-March.

The number of recoveries recorded since the pandemic began increased by 15 on Friday to total 1,154, including 903 among patients with confirmed cases and 251 among those with probable cases.

The number left the state’s total of active cases at 410. Of those, 346 are in patients with laboratory-confirmed cases and 64 are in patients with probable cases.