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2020 coronavirus pandemic in West Virginia | |
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![]() Members of the West Virginia National Guard provide personal protective equipment training on March 16, 2020 | |
![]() Confirmed COVID-19 cases in West Virginia as of March 26th, 2020
Confirmed Cases | |
Disease | COVID-19 |
Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
Location | West Virginia, U.S. |
Index case | Shepherdstown |
Arrival date | March 17, 2020 |
Confirmed cases | 237[1] |
Deaths | 2 |
Official website | |
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The U.S. state of West Virginia reported its first case of COVID-19 on March 17, 2020, becoming the last state in the United States to do so.[2] On April 1, 2020 the state reported its first COVID-19 death.[1]
As of March 16, the state had tested 84 suspected cases.[3] West Virginia announced its first case, in Shepherdstown, on March 17, 2020.[4][5][6]
As of March 18, the second case was announced. Also on that date, 148 West Virginians had been tested for the virus.[7]
As of March 20, West Virginia had confirmed 8 cases of COVID-19.[8] On March 22, there were 16 confirmed cases.[1]
A March 22 Washington Post article described efforts to implement social distancing in Grant County.[9]
On March 13, Governor Jim Justice announced all schools across the state would close beginning on March 16, 2020 for an indefinite period of time as a proactive measure.[10]
On March 15, the mayor of Charleston, West Virginia, declared a state of emergency.[11]
On March 16, Governor Justice declared a state of emergency.[12]
On March 17, Justice ordered restaurant dining rooms, bars, and casinos to close until March 31.[5]
By March 21, several Mid-Ohio Valley counties had closed their courthouses to the public or limited access.[13]
By March 22, Justice urged West Virginians to stay home as much as possible.[14] Justice was joined by Dr. Clay Marsh, vice president of West Virginia University and executive dean for Health Sciences. Marsh said that New York is being hit by a tsunami wave of coronavirus cases and if West Virginia can stay home as much as possible the next few weeks, the tsunami wave can become more like a stream for West Virginia.[14]
“We are faced with a pandemic by a virus that we have no immune system that responds to, so we can’t fight it ... If we do these things, we’ll continue to be the leaders. We have demonstrated how we too, as a state pulling together, can protect each other and protect our health care workers. Once this window of opportunity is gone, it won’t matter what we do then.”[14]
On March 23, Governor Justice ordered non-essential businesses to be closed immediately, and issued a stay-at-home order effective March 24 at 8 p.m.[15][16]
On March 25, WV Statewide Day of Prayer, a 45-minute service dedicated to the people affected with Coronavirus disease.[17] It was held by Governor Jim Justice and moderator Dr. Dan Anderson.[18]
West Virginia will receive $5.6 million of federal money to fight COVID-19.[19]
On March 12, the National Collegiate Athletic Association cancelled all winter and spring tournaments, most notably the Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, affecting colleges and universities statewide.[20] On March 16, the National Junior College Athletic Association also canceled the remainder of the winter seasons as well as the spring seasons.[21]
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases in West Virginia[1]
Updated April 2, 2020 | ||
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County | Confirmed Cases |
Deaths |
Barbour County | 1 | 0 |
Berkeley County | 37 | 0 |
Cabell County | 5 | 0 |
Greenbrier County | 3 | 0 |
Hancock County | 5 | 0 |
Hardy County | 2 | 0 |
Harrison County | 17 | 0 |
Jackson County | 11 | 0 |
Jefferson County | 12 | 0 |
Kanawha County | 40 | 0 |
Logan County | 4 | 0 |
Marion County | 11 | 0 |
Marshall County | 4 | 0 |
Mason County | 3 | 0 |
Mercer County | 3 | 0 |
Mineral County | 2 | 0 |
Monongalia County | 35 | 0 |
Morgan County | 1 | 0 |
Ohio County | 11 | 0 |
Pendleton County | 1 | 0 |
Pleasants County | 1 | 0 |
Preston County | 4 | 0 |
Putnam County | 5 | 0 |
Raleigh County | 3 | 0 |
Randolph County | 2 | 0 |
Roane County | 2 | 0 |
Tucker County | 3 | 0 |
Upshur County | 1 | 0 |
Wetzel County | 2 | 0 |
Wirt County | 1 | 0 |
Wood County | 5 | 0 |
Total (statewide) | 237 | 2 |