CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of 5:00 p.m., on April 18, 2020, there have been 19,794 laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 825 positive, 18,969 negative and 18 deaths.
The additional two deaths are an 83-year old man and an 88-year old woman from Jackson County, both affiliated with a nursing home. “We grieve with these families during their time of loss,” said Bill J. Crouch, Cabinet Secretary of DHHR.
These are considered official numbers reported to the state, which will in turn, be reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Medical providers and laboratories are required to report positive test results to DHHR.
Delays may be experienced with the reporting of cases and deaths from the local health department to the state health department. It’s not uncommon for the local level to report case numbers first and then officially report it to the state.
CONFIRMED CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (4), Berkeley (107), Boone (2), Braxton (1), Brooke (3), Cabell (30), Fayette (4), Grant (1), Greenbrier (3), Hampshire (6), Hancock (7), Hardy (3), Harrison (29), Jackson (70), Jefferson (60), Kanawha (111), Lewis (2), Lincoln (1), Logan (8), Marion (42), Marshall (8), Mason (11), McDowell (6), Mercer (8), Mineral (8), Mingo (2), Monongalia (84), Monroe (4), Morgan (8), Nicholas (3), Ohio (22), Pendleton (2), Pleasants (1), Preston (10), Putnam (14), Raleigh (7), Randolph (4), Roane (2), Summers (1), Taylor (5), Tucker (4), Tyler (3), Upshur (4), Wayne (75), Wetzel (3), Wirt (2), Wood (29), Wyoming (1).
As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Such is the case of Ohio County in this report.
A dashboard is available at www.coronavirus.wv.govwith West Virginia-specific data, including information on the health status of COVID-19 positive patients. A Frequently Asked Questions document has been developed regarding case counts and can be found here.