CHARLESTON, WV (WOAY) – The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of 5:00 p.m., on April 22, 2020, there have been 26,961 laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 963 positive, 25,998 negative and 29 deaths.
Additional deaths that have been reported in an official capacity are an 85-year old woman from Jackson County, an 85-year old woman from Kanawha County, and a 69-year old woman from Barbour County. “Each tragic death reported is a solemn reminder of the seriousness of this disease,” said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. “We send our sympathy to these families and urge all West Virginians to continue following the guidelines to protect vulnerable residents.”
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 (125), Boone (2), Braxton (1), Brooke (3), Cabell (35), Fayette (5), Grant (1), Greenbrier (3), Hampshire (7), Hancock (7), Hardy (3), Harrison (30), Jackson (109), Jefferson (65), Kanawha (141), Lewis (2), Lincoln (1), Logan (10), Marion (43), Marshall (8), Mason (11), McDowell (6), Mercer (9), Mineral (11), Mingo (2), Monongalia (89), Monroe (5), Morgan (7), Nicholas (4), Ohio (24), Pendleton (1), Pleasants (2), Preston (12), Putnam (19), Raleigh (8), Randolph (4), Roane (4), Summers (1), Taylor (5), Tucker (4), Tyler (3), Upshur (4), Wayne (81), Wetzel (3), Wirt (3), Wood (35), 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 Monongalia and Roane counties in this report.
A dashboard is available at www.coronavirus.wv.gov with 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.