CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The line of cars for COVID-19 testing at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department on Wednesday morning stretched for blocks as the health department reported the highest one-day number of positives since the start of the pandemic from data on Tuesday.
Health department (KCHD) executive director Sherri Young and Monica Mason with the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority (KCEAA) led another round of public testing on Wednesday that resulted in 717 people being tested.
On Wednesday morning, KCHD said in a release that on Tuesday it received confirmation of 19 new COVID-19 cases, the largest one day total on record.
“People should be aware that COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Kanawha County,” said Young in a release. “We all can do something to prevent the spread of this disease: If you go out, wear a face covering, stay six feet away from other people and frequently wash your hands.”
KCHD and KCEAA tested over 500 people at Schoenbaum last week and waiting times were a couple of hours.
“We planned a little more with the City of Charleston as far as rerouting traffic so the wait time is not quite as bad as the Schoenbaum Center,” Young told 580-WCHS.
“I have been surveying the cars as they come through and it’s been an hour to hour, fifteen-minute wait.”
Young said the summer months have brought much more testing as people have gone on vacation and places have reopened. There are 86 active cases in the county as of Wednesday evening.
“The summer has given us a different set of problems with people traveling and bringing COVID back,” Young said. “We see a lot of people going out to hotspots, not knowing they are hotspots or maybe letting their guard down while they are there. That has brought a lot of COVID numbers back to Kanawha County.”
If someone is unable to make it to one of the drive-up events, they can make an appointment in the KCHD clinic by calling 304-348-1088.
Testing on Friday will be held at the Shawnee Sports Complex in Dunbar from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Previously announced testing events are also scheduled at the following dates and times:
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 12 at the London First Church of God (walk-up), London 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 18 at the More Excellent Way Life Center Church, 504 Virginia Street West, Charleston
Kanawha County Sees Significant Rise is COVID-19 Cases in One Day pic.twitter.com/ykZHdAcF2R — Kanawha County (@kanawhaus) July 8, 2020