After several weeks with no new cases, Pleasants County adds another positive COVID-19 case bringing the county cases to two. Wood County had another positive case reported today bringing the county total to 31. Calhoun and Ritchie counties still have no reported cases. Roane and Wirt are unchanged at two cases each.

Wood County experienced its first death on Friday, April 17th. On Saturday, Jackson County reported its second and third deaths, both affiliated with a nursing home. In a press release on Saturday, Eldercare in Ripley said they had completed testing on all patients and staff.

According to the release, Eldercare tested 84 patients and 63 staff members. They received 71 of the patient test results back. Of those received, there were 24 negative and 47 positive COVID-19 test results, bringing the total number of in-house patients with COVID-19 to 51.

Recent studies show that symptoms may not show up until 48 hours after being infected and up to 25 percent of those infected may not exhibit symptoms. Both groups may be “silent spreaders” of the virus. If you must go out, remember to keep six feet from others, wear a cloth mask or face covering, and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Everyone must work together to minimize the continued spread of this virus.

Updated information is available at www.movhd.com; information about guidance and protocols are available at www.cdc.gov (COVI D banner) or www.wv.gov (COVID-19 tab). Operators are available 24/7 at the toll-free West Virginia Coronavirus hotline at 1-800-887-4304 to provide accurate information about COVID-19, the risk to the public, and the state’s response.

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