KINGWOOD — Only three of the 730 people tested for COVID-19 July 10-11 in Preston County tested positive for the virus.
Preston County Health Department Administrator V.J. Davis reported the testing results to county commissioners Tuesday.
Of the three, one is from Preston County, one from Marion County and one from Taylor County. All three have been notified and contact tracing begun, Davis said.
Through the end of June, the Preston County Health Department has spent $81,189 responding to COVID-19, Davis said. The only additional funding it has received to date is a $60,067 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant. Half of the grant has been received so far.
The CDC grant is to cover one year, beginning March 16.
“We will have exhausted that entire grant by the end of the month,” only four months into the period covered by the grant, Davis noted.
The department hasn’t yet applied for CARES Act funding, Davis said in a phone interview after the meeting, and can’t apply directly. Either the county commission or a municipality must apply on the department’s behalf.
Also, Davis noted, he has to be sure CARES funding isn’t sought for a service that has been paid for by another grant.
Most of the additional expenses have been for personnel, Davis said. Preston Health Department’s five employees have worked weekends, holidays and overtime tracing contacts and responding to the virus.
A part-time nurse and some contract workers were hired to help with tracing, Davis said.
County Administrator Kathy Mace said applications for CARES Act funding are “massive.”
She said the commission will also submit a CARES grant application.
Commissioners also met Tuesday afternoon with State Division of Highways officials in an online meeting.
TWEET@DominionPostWV
