School of Public Health

West Virginia University has completed baseline COVID-19 testing as part of its Return to Campus plan launched this summer. A total of 26,726 tests were collected from students and employees across the WVU System from July 20-Aug. 22. As anticipated, the number of positive test results rose on the Morgantown campus as testing volume increased over the last week to ten days. However, the total cumulative percent positive remains low at 0.64%.

A $658,000 Walmart Foundation grant to the West Virginia University Extension Service Family Nutrition Program will help West Virginians improve their health by increasing access to fresh, healthy, locally grown foods and research-based nutrition education.

Although declining reports of child abuse and neglect during the last few months may seem like good news, it raises a red flag to public health experts at West Virginia University and officials at the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice, as social isolation can leave a victim with no outlet for escape.

More than 150 volunteers from throughout West Virginia have now completed Contact Tracing and Pandemic Response, a training developed by the West Virginia University School of Public Health and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

West Virginia University leaders Dr. Clay Marsh, Dr. Jeff Coben and Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Rob Alsop today (July 7) sent a letter to the campus community outlining safety procedures for students’ return to campus scheduled for Aug. 19.

Using a $3.62 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the West Virginia University Cancer Institute will continue working with clinics across the state to increase colorectal cancer screenings.

Fireworks-related injuries in West Virginia have shot up 40 percent since a 2016 state law liberalized the sale of certain fireworks, categorized as “Class C” or “1.4G,” according to Toni Marie Rudisill, research assistant professor at the West Virginia University School of Public Health.

Anticipating a slightly smaller enrollment and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the West Virginia University Board of Governors on Friday approved a budget for the coming fiscal year more than $23 million less than the previous year.

Students will return to West Virginia University’s three campuses to begin fall classes on Wednesday, Aug. 19, the University announced Wednesday (June 3).

A West Virginia University partnership is developing a comprehensive evaluation for West Virginia children’s mental health services to ensure the best outcomes including fewer hospitalizations, shorter lengths of stay, fewer children being removed from the home and lower recidivism rates.