BUCKHANNON – The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources on Monday confirmed four new cases of COVID-19 in the state, taking the total number of positive cases up to 20.
The four new cases of coronavirus were found in Monongalia and Kanawha counties. The breakdown by county is now at five in Monongalia, four in Kanawha, three in Jefferson County, two in Mercer County, two in Marshall County, two in Tucker County, one in Putnam County and one in Jackson County.
In its March 23 press release, the DHHR states that as of 8 p.m. Monday, March 23, 630 West Virginia residents have been tested for COVID-19, with 610 negative test results returned and no tests pending at the state laboratory.
“These numbers include positive and negative tests from the state’s public health lab, commercial labs and hospitals,” the release states.
The number of total cases worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, is 378,287, with 100,982 recoveries and 16,497 deaths. As of Monday, the U.S. was third behind China and Italy with the number of confirmed positive cases – 43,847.
In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, an acronym for coronavirus disease of 2019, Gov. Jim Justice on Monday afternoon announced that a stay-at-home order would go into effect at 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 24.
The order urges residents to stay at home and limit movement outside of their homes except for leaving to fulfill essential needs. You can read the full stay-at-home order here.
