The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources said just 12 new cases of COVID-19 had been identified in the state on Tuesday, with no additional deaths.
“The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reports as of 5 p.m. on May 19, 2020, there have been 78,611 laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 1,514 positive, 77,097 negative and 68 deaths,” according to a press release
The number of test results reported dropped to under 1,000 for the first day in nearly two weeks.
In his daily briefing, Gov. Jim Justice said visitors from out-of-state will no longer have to quarantine when coming to West Virginia. He also announced an inmate at Huttonsville has tested positive for the virus. That’s the same prison where a correctional officer tested positive last week.
“The 62-year-old male is in good condition in medical isolation,” according to a press release from the W.Va. Division of Corrections.
“The positive inmate had exhibited symptoms, triggering testing under DCR’s response plan for COVID-19” the release states. “Huttonsville will now expand this testing, starting with the inmate’s now-quarantined housing unit. The Bureau for Public Health and DCR’s medical provider, Wexford Health Sources, will provide the necessary equipment and personnel. The National Guard will assist making testing available to all officers and staff. The stepped-up testing is slated to begin Wednesday.”
The release says the inmate case is not believed to be related to the officer who tested positive.
“The case is believed unrelated to that of a temporary, part-time employee at the facility who tested positive over the weekend,” the release states. “That employee, who is quarantined at home and in good condition, had supervised three other inmates from a separate housing unit during his last shift there May 14 in the recreation yard. Those three inmates have since tested negative.”
About 511 West Virginia cases remain active, according DHHR data. Of the cases that are no longer active, 922 people have recovered and 68 have died, a mortality rate of about 6.9 percent.
New cases were reported Tuesday in Berkeley, Hardy, Harrison, Jackson, Raleigh, Randolph, Wirt and Wyoming counties.
CONFIRMED CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (7), Berkeley (223), Boone (9), Braxton (2), Brooke (3), Cabell (55), Calhoun (2), Clay (2), Fayette (38), Gilmer (8), Grant (6), Greenbrier (9), Hampshire (12), Hancock (12), Hardy (32), Harrison (36), Jackson (135), Jefferson (102), Kanawha (203), Lewis (5), Lincoln (5), Logan (15), Marion (48), Marshall (25), Mason (15), McDowell (6), Mercer (13), Mineral (29), Mingo (3), Monongalia (116), Monroe (6), Morgan (17), Nicholas (9), Ohio (37), Pendleton (5), Pleasants (2), Pocahontas (8), Preston (15), Putnam (29), Raleigh (13), Randolph (8), Ritchie (1), Roane (9), Summers (1), Taylor (8), Tucker (4), Tyler (3), Upshur (6), Wayne (96), Wetzel (7), Wirt (4), Wood (47), Wyoming (3).
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