By Steven Allen Adams, Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After weeks with no confirmed cases, Gov. Jim Justice announced Tuesday evening in a televised address to the state that West Virginia now has its first case of the coronavirus — in the Eastern Panhandle — and that the state was taking additional precautions.
“Our health officials came to me and said now we do have our first positive confirmed,” Justice said from the Governor’s Reception Room at the state Capitol and broadcast statewide. “From that, I would tell you just this: We knew it was coming. We’ve prepared for this, and we shouldn’t panic.”…
Read more on state preparations in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel: https://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/local-news/2020/03/w-va-confirms-first-case-of-covid-19/
… State officials held a briefing with media after Justice’s address Tuesday evening. Public Health Officer and Commissioner of the Bureau of Public Health Cathy Slemp said the information about the positive case came to light 10 minutes before Justice’s speech. Slemp was not prepared to release specific information about the case, though she said the individual had been allowed to return home and self-quarantine.
“This is literally our first case and we expected our first case,” Slemp said. “It’s important that we have the time and opportunity to talk to the facility and the family. We are working with them closely.”
Several hospitals, including WVU Medicine, are starting to create drive-thru testing centers for coronavirus. WVU Medicine plans five drive-thru locations, though testing is still limited based on the supply of test kits and the testing criteria being used. With more commercial labs coming online with coronavirus testing, DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch hopes the state can start finding more positive results to see where resources need to go and to see if the state’s containment measures are slowing the spread of the virus.
“We’re trying to test,” Crouch said. “Commercial testing labs are coming online very quickly now. (Charleston Area Medical Center) has announced a contract with a commercial lab. We’re seeing a lot of commercial labs pop up.”
According to the Department of Health and Human Resources, the state has one positive case of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. A total of 137 tests have been conducted with 122 negative test results and 14 results still pending.
According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control, there were 4,226 reported cases of coronavirus across the country not counting West Virginia’s new case as of Tuesday with 75 deaths. According to the World Health Organization, there are 184,976 confirmed cases worldwide with 7,529 deaths.
COVID-19 is a virus that affects the respiratory system with similar symptoms to the flu but is highly dangerous to people over the age of 60 and those with chronic health issues — including heart disease, diabetes and lung disease. Symptoms include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.
Justice has been increasing the state’s response to coronavirus since the first week of March when he declared a state of preparedness. Monday, Justice declared a state of emergency, giving state agencies and the West Virginia National Guard the flexibility and freedom from state purchasing and personnel policies. Last week, Justice ordered all schools in the state to be closed.
Brian Abraham, general counsel for the Governor’s Office, said they recognized the closing of bars and restaurants would be a hardship. Plans were being developed to help provide state assistance to small businesses, though any plan would need to be approved by the Legislature in a special session. Abraham said the state was reaching out to the U.S. Small Business Administration for businesses to apply for up to $2 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
“We have already reached out to our federal partners for SBA loans,” Abraham said. “As the governor alluded to, we’ll reach out to the Legislature and see what we can do at the state level.”
Delegate Isaac Sponaugle, D-Pendleton, sent out a press release Tuesday calling for Justice to call the Legislature into special session to work on ways to provide assistance to small businesses and to move Rainy Day Funds to the Governor’s Civil Contingency Fund for use in coronavirus preparations.
“Members of the legislature need to be called in for a special session immediately,” Sponaugle said. “We must pass key pieces of legislation before the coronavirus crashes into the state.”
At the congressional level, the U.S. Senate is considering a nearly $850 billion package for relief, including funding for free coronavirus testing, paid leave for workers, unemployment benefits, greater access to food stamps, and increased funding for Medicaid. An additional package providing help to small businesses and possible direct payments to U.S. residents is also being considered. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., praised Justice’s response Tuesday.
“I support Governor Justice’s decision to close restaurants, bars, and casinos because we must do everything we can to slow this virus down,” Manchin said. “We must also support our small businesses and their employees during this difficult time while they make sacrifices for the health of our state and our nation.”
“The Senate is also working on yet another bill that we plan to pass this week that will aid our economy, help our small businesses, and provide assistance to workers and families impacted by this emergency,” Capito said. “I will continue working at the federal level, along with Governor Justice and others in the state to make sure we are doing everything in our power to help West Virginians and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.”
As of Thursday at 6 p.m. all Ulta stores in the U.S. will be closing until at least March 31, according to Mary Dillon, CEO of Ulta Beauty. Dillon said purchases can still be made on the store’s website.
