Why More Coronavirus Tests Aren't Happening In W.Va.

On this West Virginia Morning, we’ll hear a harrowing snake story. We’ll also bring you the latest update on the state response to the coronavirus.

Restaurant owners and food service workers in the Ohio Valley are worried about their livelihoods now that governors in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana have ordered all bars and restaurants closed to dine-in customers. The move is the latest attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus and raises further concerns about the economic impact of the pandemic. Becca Schimmel has more.

One of the reasons coronavirus is so scary is that it is possible to be a carrier for the disease and not know it. Some people are asymptomatic, and some people have mild symptoms. But as of Monday, West Virginia has only tested 84 people for coronavirus – out of a state of 1.8 million. Critics say that’s not nearly enough. So why have so few people been tested? Kara Lofton reports. West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Dave Mistich contributed to this report.

With thousands of children out of school this week, parents may be itching to find creative ways to entertain them. So, here’s a thought: there are lots of ways children can continue to learn and explore outdoors. And studies show that even just a little time outside is great for kids (as well as adults). It can help reduce stress and stay healthy. Inside Appalachia folkways reporter Saro Lynch-Thomason takes us to North Carolina, to meet naturalist Doug Elliot. He’s spent more than four decades teaching kids about nature, through storytelling and song.   

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.