32 new cases of COVID-19 identified in West Virginia on Monday amid outbreak at church in Greenbrier County

Brian Bergstrom
June 15, 2020

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced Monday that 32 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the Mountain State.

No additional deaths were reported.

“The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reports as of 5 p.m. on June 15, 2020, there have been 132,446 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 2,322 total cases and 88 deaths,” according to a press release.

New cases were reported Monday in Berkeley, Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Greenbrier, Harrison, Jefferson, Kanawha, Marion, Marshall, Ohio, Randolph, Roane, Wayne and Wood counties

In his briefing Monday, Gov. Jim Justice implored residents to continue to use caution, pointing to a recent outbreak at a church in his home county.

So far, 28 people who attend Graystone Baptist Church in Lewisburg have tested positive for the virus, Justice said.

In a Facebook post, the church said they followed the state guidelines for live services.

“Attending church was on a voluntary basis,” according to the post. “We greatly encouraged those to wear masks and gloves if they felt more comfortable.”

The church has not identified the source of the outbreak.

“We do not understand the source of the outbreak,” the post says. “To the best of our ability we followed the guidelines that were given to us … We love our brothers and sisters and would in no way put anyone in harm intentionally. “

The church is one of several in the state where outbreaks have been detected, the DHHR said, noting that more than 50 people who have attended services at those churches — which were not identified — are confirmed to have contracted COVID-19.

The DHHR said residents should continue to use prevention methods — like wearing a mask — and be aware that all gathering places carry enhanced risk of contracting the virus.

About 627 West Virginia cases remain active, according DHHR data. Of the cases that are no longer active, 1,607 people have recovered and 88 have died, a mortality rate of about 5.2 percent.

CASES PER COUNTY (Case confirmed by lab test/Probable case): Barbour (10/0), Berkeley (377/18), Boone (18/0), Braxton (3/0), Brooke (5/1), Cabell (73/2), Calhoun (2/0), Clay (10/0), Fayette (54/0), Gilmer (10/0), Grant (15/1), Greenbrier (30/0), Hampshire (39/0), Hancock (18/2), Hardy (40/0), Harrison (48/1), Jackson (141/0), Jefferson (204/5), Kanawha (240/7), Lewis (8/0), Lincoln (5/0), Logan (21/0), Marion (51/2), Marshall (36/1), Mason (15/0), McDowell (6/0), Mercer (14/0), Mineral (49/2), Mingo (9/3), Monongalia (131/14), Monroe (8/1), Morgan (18/1), Nicholas (7/0), Ohio (57/0), Pendleton (11/2), Pleasants (3/1), Pocahontas (20/1), Preston (19/5), Putnam (41/1), Raleigh (25/1), Randolph (140/0), Ritchie (2/0), Roane (11/0), Summers (1/0), Taylor (9/1), Tucker (5/0), Tyler (3/0), Upshur (6/1), Wayne (105/1), Wetzel (9/0), Wirt (4/0), Wood (52/4), Wyoming (5/0).