Kanawha County sees 47% increase in COVID-19 cases

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK-TV) — It was drive-through testing event No. 35 in Kanawha County, this time at Capital High.

Cars lined up in the hot sun waiting – those inside waiting their turn to get their noses swabbed.

“I’m around a lot of people, a lot of older people, and I don’t want to spread it so I want to have a check to make sure I’m clean,” said one man waiting in his car.

Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Executive Director Dr. Sherri Young and other city officials were there to remind people to be more diligent about getting tested, wearing a mask, and social distancing.

This, especially since COVID-19 cases in Kanawha County rose by 47% in just the last 30 days.

“One thing that we want to do, we don’t want to see it go up another 47%,” she said.

Young says this spike coincides with people going on vacation, states reopening and having more opportunities to be out in public.

“What we’re seeing now is we’re seeing it in an entire age demographic — we have active cases in people ages 1-88,” she said.

Since the outbreak, the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department and the Kanawha County EMS have cumulatively tested just over 13,000 people.

They want to stay the course to avoid overrunning local hospitals and EMS workers.

“It wouldn’t take more than a few cases to really cause a strain,” Young said.
Because the virus is still spreading.

The Charleston-Kanawha Health Department confirmed 189 active cases Monday, while in the state of West Virginia that number has climbed to over 5100.