ELKINS – A total of 811 individuals were tested for COVID-19 on Saturday, May 30, during drive-thru events held in Mill Creek and Elkins. 

As of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, the Randolph–Elkins Health Department reports that the results on 809 of the specimens were received and were negative. The two additional specimens were returned to the state lab due to labeling errors, but the health department expects those results later today or Wednesday.

“This is extremely good news for the county,” said REHD Director of Threat Preparedness Bonnie Woodrum.  “The results show that the outbreak at Huttonsville Correctional Center (HCC) has been contained thus far, and community spread associated with that outbreak has been very minimal.”

Woodrum said those practicing safety precautions like social distancing and face masks are making a difference in community spread by protecting themselves and others. She added that these measures are still very important in minimizing the risk of a community outbreak.

“We saw at HCC how quickly the virus could pass from one or two infected people to more than a hundred inmates and staff.  We absolutely should not relax our precautionary measures,” she said.

The State Center for Threat Preparedness has determined that an additional Randolph County community sampling is not necessary at this time but may be requested later in June.

Health department staff are making calls to all individuals who were tested at drive-thru locations on Saturday.  Please wait for one of their representatives to call you with your results.