MERCER COUNTY, W.Va. — Confirmed Case No. 2 of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, in West Virginia was located in Mercer County.
“It’s unfortunate, but I wasn’t surprised,” said Greg Puckett, a Mercer County commissioner, a day after the Wednesday diagnosis confirmation from the state Department of Health and Human Resources.
“I think we kind of lived in a utopian bubble for a little bit too long.”
The only information DHHR provided about the patient indicated the person was being treated in their Mercer County home.
Puckett had no other details.
The case was reportedly linked to travel like the first West Virginia case, a COVID-19 diagnosis for a man from Jefferson County.
As of Thursday morning, DHHR reported 143 tests conducted at the state Public Health Lab were negative while results from three other tests were pending.
Only positive results from tests at other locations were required to be reported to DHHR.
Prior to the two initial confirmed cases, state health officials were advising residents to follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to limit virus spread including washing hands frequently, avoiding close contact, staying at home when sick and covering coughs and sneezes.
In Mercer County, Puckett said preparations for the virus had been well underway.
“I do think that people felt a false sense of hope by not saying that it was in West Virginia for so long,” Puckett said. “When a test does come back positive, it does bring a lot more urgency to the situation.”
Access to the Mercer County Courthouse, which remained open, was limited through April 10 at least.
“We want to make sure that people don’t panic, that they understand that this is good prevention efforts and that, if we work together, we’re going to be healthier moving forward,” Puckett said.
“We just need to take that time and do the recommendations — the distancing yourself away — and time will be the tell and we’ll be fine.”