Governor Jim Justice announced the closure of all non-essential businesses and issued a stay-home order during a press conference Monday. The move was prompted by a positive test from the Sundale Nursing Home in Morgantown.
The state has also seen its first case of “community transmission”. Until now, all cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia could be traced back to an identifiable source. “Community transmissions” refer to people who contracted COVID-19 from an unknown carrier.
Governor Justice was quick to point out that a stay-at-home order is not martial law. Some businesses will be considered essential, including Human care and health services, grocery stores, pharmacies and food production are all included, among others.
Listen to the latest episode of Almost Heaven: Stories from West Virginia for more details, and read the executive order in its entirety here.