The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources said 53 new cases of COVID-19 had been identified in the state on Wednesday, the largest single-day total in more than a month and fifth-biggest daily surge since the pandemic began.
One additional person has also died of the disease, according to the DHHR: a 75-year-old male from Kanawha County.
“The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reports as of 5 p.m., on May 20 2020, there have been 81,343 laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 1,567 positive, 79,776 negative and 69 deaths,” according to a press release.
Neighboring states are also seeing a rise in new cases. Maryland reported the highest number of new cases yet on Tuesday, with 1,784 new confirmed cases. Many of the new cases in West Virginia were in border counties.
Gov. Jim Justice asked West Virginians to be cautious and mindful of the safety of others as more of the state reopens in the coming days. Indoor dining can resume at up to 50 percent occupancy beginning Thursday.
Justice also said he recognized the risks associated with tourism-related activities that are scheduled to resume operating in the coming days and weeks, but noted that would be an issue in other states as well. All 50 states have started reopening or are entirely open as of Wednesday.
Two more cases have also been found at the Huttonsville jail, with a second inmate and second employee testing positive. The state was to have begun comprehensive testing at the facility today after the first inmate tested positive on Tuesday.
About 505 West Virginia cases remain active, according DHHR data. Of the cases that are no longer active, 977 people have recovered and 69 have died, a mortality rate of about 6.6 percent.
New cases were reported Wednesday in Berkeley, Fayette, Gilmer, Hardy, Kanawha, Mineral, Monongalia, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph and Wood counties.
CONFIRMED CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (7), Berkeley (245), Boone (9), Braxton (2), Brooke (3), Cabell (55), Calhoun (2), Clay (2), Fayette (39), Gilmer (9), Grant (6), Greenbrier (9), Hampshire (12), Hancock (12), Hardy (33), Harrison (37), Jackson (135), Jefferson (115), Kanawha (205), Lewis (5), Lincoln (5), Logan (15), Marion (48), Marshall (25), Mason (15), McDowell (6), Mercer (13), Mineral (34), Mingo (3), Monongalia (118), Monroe (6), Morgan (17), Nicholas (9), Ohio (37), Pendleton (5), Pleasants (2), Pocahontas (10), Preston (15), Putnam (30), Raleigh (14), Randolph (9), Ritchie (1), Roane (8), Summers (1), Taylor (8), Tucker (4), Tyler (3), Upshur (6), Wayne (96), Wetzel (7), Wirt (4), Wood (48), Wyoming (3).
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