CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State health officials say there have been 24 positive COVID-19 cases associated with churches in West Virginia since in-person services resumed in late May.
“We have had at least four church-related outbreaks across the state with five to eight cases in a congregation,” Justice said Wednesday.
Justice said he wanted to mention the new cases at his Wednesday media briefing as a word of caution.
“Take heed and be a little careful,” Justice said. “I’m encouraging you in our church settings to follow the guidelines as far as every other pew, social distancing and wearing masks,” he said.
Justice wasn’t specific Wednesday on where the recent positive cases have been reported. The Hampshire County Health Department reported an outbreak involving nine church members at a small church in that county.
State Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh said the outbreaks are a reminder that “Covid is out there.”
Justice has never gone as far to order churches closed during the pandemic. He and his coronavirus team have urged social distancing and other guidelines. They’re also encouraged outdoor services where possible.
The DHHR released its latest COVID-19 numbers Wednesday evening. There have been 119,716 lab tests for virus since early March and 2,193 of the tests have come back positive.
The state’s cumulative positive test rate is at its lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic at 1.83 percent. The daily positive test rate Wednesday was 0.52 percent.
There have been 85 deaths. The latest is the death of a 65-year-old Kanawha County man. It was reported earlier Wednesday.
Confirmed cases per county include:
(Case confirmed by lab test/Probable case): Barbour (9/0), Berkeley (345/16), Boone (15/0), Braxton (2/0), Brooke (4/1), Cabell (69/2), Calhoun (2/0), Clay (7/0), Fayette (54/0), Gilmer (10/0), Grant (13/1), Greenbrier (9/0), Hampshire (35/0), Hancock (18/2), Hardy (40/0), Harrison (40/1), Jackson (141/0), Jefferson (199/5), Kanawha (234/7), Lewis (8/0), Lincoln (5/0), Logan (20/0), Marion (51/2), Marshall (32/1), Mason (15/0), McDowell (6/0), Mercer (13/0), Mineral (49/2), Mingo (8/2), Monongalia (128/14), Monroe (7/1), Morgan (18/1), Nicholas (7/0), Ohio (52/0), Pendleton (11/2), Pleasants (3/1), Pocahontas (20/1), Preston (19/5), Putnam (40/1), Raleigh (17/1), Randolph (140/0), Ritchie (2/0), Roane (9/1), Summers (1/0), Taylor (8/1), Tucker (4/0), Tyler (3/0), Upshur (6/1), Wayne (103/0), Wetzel (9/0), Wirt (4/0), Wood (51/3), Wyoming (3/0).