On April 17, 2020, county, city and health officials reported six more COVID-19 cases at Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, a nursing home in Jefferson. That brought the patient total there to 16. Staff test results were still pending.
News reports said all 75 residents had been tested that week after one resident went to the hospital. Kanawha County had about 110 confirmed cases at that point.
The county health officer said the area might be in its surge and that keeping the guidelines in place would save lives. The health department had sent long-term care homes a letter of suggested best practices in late March. County commissioners and the mayor of Charleston asked residents to stay the course.