West Virginia Reports New High In Coronavirus Cases, Reports 15 New Deaths
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia reported surging COVID-19 case numbers on Saturday along with 15 newly reported deaths from the virus.
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reported 655 newly reported cases as of 10 a.m. Saturday for a total of 27,742 total cases and 502 deaths since the pandemic reached the state.
The daily case count set a record for the state, a day after West Virginia saw a new peak of 540 cases over 24 hours.
On Friday, several government staff and officials including Gov. Jim Justice were tested for the virus after a staffer in the Capitol building tested positive Friday morning. The attorney general's office later said the employee believed to have the virus tested negative on Friday night.
Justice said he was tested for the virus minutes before a noon news conference Friday, where he announced the record high of new cases. He also urged West Virginians to get tested at sites around the state.
The state reported seven deaths on Friday.
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
