Hardy County reports 4th positive COVID-19 case

The Hardy County Health Department has confirmed a fourth case of COVID-19 in Hardy County, West Virginia.

According to the health department, the patient is quarantined at home and has been fully cooperative in following proper CDC and state health department guidelines to protect their neighbors and community.

To protect patient privacy, the department will no release further information about the person, their area of residence, or travel history.

The department says they completed all necessary contact tracing to reach out to anyone who had been in close contact with person and have them isolate at home to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

As of 10 a.m. on April 28, when the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) issued their morning update on the COVID-19 case total, there had been 1,079 confirmed cases across West Virginia.

A total of 40,489 West Virginia residents have been tested, with 39,410 negative results, 1,079 positive results, and 37 confirmed deaths due to the virus.

But testing for many people across West Virginia has been very limited, with people reporting difficulties finding anywhere near them that can perform tests and a lot of people in rural areas having to travel miles to the closest hospital just to find out that they don't meet the screening requirements.

According to DHHR data, about 50% of people with confirmed cases had pre-existing conditions. Of all the confirmed cases in the state, 22% have been among people 70 and older.

That's likely due to West Virginia's all-out effort ordered by Governor Jim Justice to try to test every single nursing home resident across the state for COVID-19.

As of April 28, 87 patients were hospitalized, 474 were in home isolation, and 481 had fully recovered from the virus in West Virginia.

All of that data and more can be found in a slideshow

, updated daily.

Locally, there has been 1 confirmed case in Grant County, 4 confirmed cases in Hardy County, and 3 confirmed cases in Pendleton County.

Across the state, these are the confirmed cases by county, as of 10 a.m. on April 28:

Barbour (4), Berkeley (139), Boone (2), Braxton (2), Brooke (3), Cabell (39), Fayette (11), Gilmer (2), Grant (1), Greenbrier (3), Hampshire (7), Hancock (7), Hardy (3), Harrison (30), Jackson (127), Jefferson (75), Kanawha (156), Lewis (4), Lincoln (1), Logan (12), Marion (45), Marshall (11), Mason (12), McDowell (6), Mercer (9), Mineral (14), Mingo (2), Monongalia (102), Monroe (5), Morgan (9), Nicholas (6), Ohio (26), Pendleton (3), Pleasants (2), Pocahontas (1), Preston (13), Putnam (22), Raleigh (8), Randolph (4), Roane (4), Summers (1), Taylor (6), Tucker (4), Tyler (3), Upshur (4), Wayne (83), Wetzel (4), Wirt (3), Wood (38), Wyoming (1)

Most people don't suffer much from COVID-19, but it can cause severe illness in the elderly and people with existing health problems.

It spreads primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Those droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract the virus by touching those objects or surfaces and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth.

The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can cause mild to more severe respiratory illness. In a small proportion of patients, COVID-19 can cause death, particularly among those who are older or who have chronic medical conditions. Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms appear within 14 days of being exposed to an infectious person.

To lower the risk of respiratory germ spread, including COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health encourages the following effective behaviors:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

• Stay home when you are sick.

• Avoid contact with sick people.

• Avoid non-essential travel.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent or antiviral medication to treat COVID-19. The best way to avoid illness is preventing exposure, which is why governments around the world have implemented Stay at Home orders.

For the latest factual information on COVID-19, you're encouraged to check both the

and the

.