CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s coronavirus czar said Tuesday the country is headed in the wrong direction when it comes to COVID-19.
Dr. Clay Marsh said West Virginia and most every other state are showing a significant increase in cases. The state Department of Health and Human Resources reported 511 new cases Tuesday in the Mountain State. The state now has 7,271 active cases.
Marsh said he’s proud of how the state has increased testing and handled contact tracing but he said it’s the mitigation efforts that are falling short.
“I think people are tired and I think it’s hard for people to wear masks and not gather in crowds and not go to bars and restaurants, coffee shops and gyms and eat out together and hang out together,” Marsh said Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Marsh said he’s concerned that some people may be waiting on the next lockdown mandate before taking action. He said if that happens it will be too late.
“If people are waiting for central regulations that say, ‘you have to do this’ and ‘you have to do that,’ as far as staying indoors or not going into crowds or working at home, I think we’re making a grave mistake of our opportunity with our own individual power,” Marsh said.
WV Covid-19 Czar Dr. @claymarsh joins @HoppyKercheval to discuss the ongoing increased spread of COVID-19 in West Virginia, the country, and the potential hope for a vaccine. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/ZGYXQ0nnqR
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) November 10, 2020
According to the DHHR, the state’s daily positivity test rate is 4.86%. Deaths are now at 546. Sixteen deaths were added Tuesday including a 96-year old female from Boone County, a 75-year old female from Boone County, a 92-year old male from Wetzel County, a 47-year old male from Wetzel County, a 79-year old female from Boone County, a 65-year old male from Preston County, a 65-year old male from Marshall County, an 85-year old male from Wetzel County, a 79-year old female from Fayette County, an 85-year old female from Putnam County, an 81-year old female from Ohio County, a 78-year old male from Hancock County, a 72-year old female from Raleigh County, a 76-year old male from Kanawha County, an 80-year old female from Kanawha County, and an 88-year old female from Summers County.
Hospitalizations in West Virginia were at 280 patients, according to DHHR numbers. Marsh said that number could grow in the coming weeks.
“We’re not quite seeing the explosive growth in hospitalizations but we know it’s about a two-to-four week lag between more cases and hospitalizations,” Marsh said. “There are parts of the country that are starting to see the kind of experience that happened (in New York City) that overwhelmed their capabilities.”
Marsh said the way to mitigate the virus hasn’t changed.
“Wear your mask, stay physically distanced and be aware of the three C’s; crowds, close indoor environments and close contact with people you don’t know,” he said.
.@WV_DHHR reports as of 10:00 a.m., November 10, 2020, there have been 861,038 total confirmatory laboratory results received for #COVID19, with 29,316 total cases and 546 deaths. https://t.co/r9kPN2TTV5 pic.twitter.com/xFBchu7t8U
— WV Department of Health & Human Resources • ? (@WV_DHHR) November 10, 2020
Overall confirmed cases per county include: Barbour (233), Berkeley (1,965), Boone (468), Braxton (90), Brooke (305), Cabell (1,863), Calhoun (41), Clay (75), Doddridge (82), Fayette (857), Gilmer (119), Grant (219), Greenbrier (264), Hampshire (184), Hancock (296), Hardy (125), Harrison (786), Jackson (463), Jefferson (770), Kanawha (4,245), Lewis (168), Lincoln (312), Logan (853), Marion (495), Marshall (619), Mason (207), McDowell (175), Mercer (931), Mineral (371), Mingo (767), Monongalia (2,566), Monroe (282), Morgan (182), Nicholas (225), Ohio (828), Pendleton (80), Pleasants (47), Pocahontas (77), Preston (280), Putnam (1,174), Raleigh (1,000), Randolph (500), Ritchie (72), Roane (123), Summers (178), Taylor (187), Tucker (71), Tyler (89), Upshur (314), Wayne (700), Webster (43), Wetzel (282), Wirt (59), Wood (1,166), Wyoming (443).
Free COVID-19 testing opportunities Tuesday included:
Berkeley County
3:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Hedgesville High School, 109 Ridge Road N, Hedgesville, WV
Hampshire County
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Hampshire Memorial Hospital, 363 Sunrise Blvd, Romney, WV
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Central Hampshire Park, Central Hampshire Park Road, Augusta, WV
Jackson County
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Jackson County Health Department, 504 Church Street South, Ripley, WV
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Sandyville Senior Center, 29 Gilmore Drive, Sandyville, WV
Jefferson County
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Shepherd University, 164 University Drive, Shepherdstown, WV
12:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Jefferson County Health Department, 1948 Wiltshire Road, Kearneysville, WV
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM, Washington High School, 300 Washington Patriot Drive, Charles Town, WV
Kanawha County
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Kanawha Charleston Health Department, 108 Lee Street, Charleston WV (flu shots offered)
Lewis County
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, SJMH at Market Place, 546 Marketplace, Weston, WV
Lincoln County
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, West Hamlin Food Fair, 11 Lincoln Plaza, West Hamlin, WV
Marshall County
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Marshall County Health Department, 513 6th Street, Moundsville, WV
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Cameron City Building, 44 Main Street, Cameron, WV
Mineral County
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Mineral County Fairgrounds, Rt. 28, Fort Ashby, WV
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Mineral County VoTech, 981 Harley O Staggers Drive, Keyser, WV
Mingo County
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Matewan Volunteer Fire Department, 306 McCoy Alley, Matewan, WV
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Cornerstone Christian Center, 891 Dingess Road, Dingess, WV
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Kermit Volunteer Fire Department, 49 Main Street, Kermit, WV
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Williamson Health & Wellness Center, 183 2nd Ave., Williamson, WV (At the Tent)
Monroe County
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, 200 Health Center Drive, Union WV (Call 304-772-3064 for appointment)
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Monroe Health Center Peterstown, 2869 Seneca Trail South, Peterstown WV (Call 304-753-4336 for appointment)
Ohio County
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Valley Grove Volunteer Fire Department, 355 Fire House Lane, Valley Grove WV
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Warwood Fire Station, Station 9, 1301 Richland Avenue, Wheeling, WV
Preston County
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department, 115 Brown Ave, Kingwood, WV
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Denver Church, 5174 South Preston Highway, Tunnelton, WV
Putnam County
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Teays Valley Church of God, 185 Connection Point, Scott Depot, WV
Randolph County
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Randolph County Health Department Parking Lot, 32 Randolph Avenue, Elkins, WV
Tyler County
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Sistersville Volunteer Fire Department, 121 Maple Avenue, Sistersville, WV
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Wetzel-Tyler Health Department, 425 S. 4th Avenue, Paden City, WV
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Tyler County Senior Center, 504 Cherry Street, Middlebourne, WV
Wyoming County
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Southern WV Community and Technical College, 128 College Drive, Saulsville, WV
1:30 PM – 5:30 PM, Oceana Square, Highway 971, Oceana, WV