The number of new known cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia rose to the highest level in more than a week on Thursday, with the state Department of Health and Human Resources reporting 30 new positive test results.
The DHHR also said three more people have died of the virus: a 70-year old male from Wayne County, a 76-year old female from Kanawha County and an 81-year old female from Jackson County.
“The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reports as of 5 p.m., on May 14, 2020, there have been 68,978 laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 1,434 positive, 67,544 negative and 62 deaths,” according to a press release.
Earlier in the day, Gov. Jim Justice announced that the state will be almost fully open for business next week.
The governor added a number of new industries to those permitted to reopen next week, with gyms and fitness centers joining dine-in restaurants and large retailers. He also began the process of reopening the tourism sector, saying commercial whitewater rafting could resume next week.
With those inclusions, the vast majority of businesses in the state will be open within the next seven days, with only small segments of the economy still under restrictions.
About 477 West Virginia cases of COVID-19 remain active, according DHHR data. Of the cases that are no longer active, 855 people have recovered and 62 have died, a mortality rate of about 6.8 percent.
New cases were reported Thursday in Berkeley, Cabell, Hampshire, Hardy, Jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha, Nicholas, Preston and Wayne counties.
CONFIRMED CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (7), Berkeley (200), Boone (9), Braxton (2), Brooke (3), Cabell (53), Clay (2), Fayette (36), Gilmer (8), Grant (6), Greenbrier (8), Hampshire (11), Hancock (12), Hardy (25), Harrison (34), Jackson (137), Jefferson (96), Kanawha (201), Lewis (4), Lincoln (5), Logan (14), Marion (46), Marshall (23), Mason (14), McDowell (6), Mercer (12), Mineral (26), Mingo (3), Monongalia (114), Monroe (6), Morgan (17), Nicholas (9), Ohio (37), Pendleton (5), Pleasants (2), Pocahontas (2), Preston (15), Putnam (29), Raleigh (10), Randolph (5), Ritchie (1), Roane (8), Summers (1), Taylor (8), Tucker (4), Tyler (3), Upshur (6), Wayne (95), Wetzel (6), Wirt (3), Wood (44), Wyoming (1).
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