West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice tested positive for COVID-19 and said he feels “extremely unwell” as he isolates at home instead of delivering his State of the State Address as planned on Wednesday.
The Republican said he began receiving a monoclonal antibody treatment after experiencing sudden symptoms Tuesday and testing positive on a lab test.
“While I was surprised that my test results came back positive, I’m thankful to the Lord above that I’ve been vaccinated, I’ve been boosted, and that I have an incredible support system, especially my loving family,” Mr. Justice said. “That being said, I feel extremely unwell at this point, and I have no choice but to postpone my State of the State address to the Legislature.”
Mr. Justice said he woke up Tuesday with congestion and a cough.
“A little while later, I developed a headache and fever, so I decided to get tested right away,” he said. “The rapid test that I took came back negative, but by the late afternoon, my symptoms were still getting much worse. My blood pressure and heart rate were extremely elevated, and I had a high fever. Finally, my PCR test results this evening confirmed I was positive. Because of all this, I began receiving my antibody treatment and I hope this will lessen these symptoms.”
Mr. Justice apologized to those who planned to attend his speech Wednesday and asked people to remember the more than 5,000 West Virginians who have died from COVID-19.
“We need to keep pulling the rope together,” he said. “We’re going to get through this and put an end to this terrible pandemic once and for all.”
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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