CHARLESTON, W.Va. — DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch said during an appearance Friday on MetroNews “Talkline” there will be a surge of coronavirus cases in West Virginia even though confirmed cases compared to the number of people being tested has remained at around four to five percent in the past three days.
“This window is not going to last too long. People need to take this very, very seriously,” Crouch said. “We will have a surge. I want to make sure everyone understands. We will never flatten that curve enough that we will not have a surge of individuals in our hospitals.”
Crouch said the data is “a little misleading” from the standpoint that nothing is going to happen.
“We should not be complacent,” Crouch said.
State Health Officer Dr. Cathy Slemp, also a guest Friday on “Talkline,” said she worries about people over relying on testing data and maps to downplay the risk of getting sick.
“I don’t think I’d be that bold,” Slemp said.
Bill Crouch, Secretary of @WV_DHHR, and Dr. Cathy Slemp join @HoppyKercheval to discuss the state’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. WATCH: https://t.co/jmMe7bOYY9 pic.twitter.com/f5vQXmgtsd
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) March 27, 2020
Crouch said the current window does allow the state more time to obtain more equipment and supplies and get them out to health care providers. He said they are smaller shipments that won’t resolve the shortage issue but they are helping.
“We are literally talking to folks all across the world in terms of availability of all of these items, gloves, gowns, surgical masks, face shields. We’re trying to do everything we can to get all we can,” Crouch said.
Crouch and Slemp are scheduled to join Gov. Jim Justice and others at a media briefing at the state capitol scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday.