HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The Cabell-Huntington Health Department on Thursday issued a stay-at-home advisory for the county because of an increase in coronavirus cases due to community spread.
The health department said since its Oct. 1 advisory, cases have risen. Testing opportunities in the county have increased over the last two weeks.
“Widespread disease in the community increases exposure risk to the public, increases the risk of exposure to vulnerable populations, and reduces the effectiveness of contact tracing as a means of controlling disease spread,” the health department said.
Officials recommended people at high risk for severe coronavirus should stay home and limit outside contact as much as possible; family gatherings should be reduced; people should work from home as much as possible; and business transactions should be contactless if feasible. People who plan on voting in the general election should vote in a way that is as safe as possible for them.
The recommendations are voluntary at this time.
According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Cabell County had an infection rate of 22.4 daily positive cases per 100,000 people on Wednesday, enough to put the county at the orange level of the state department’s coronavirus map.