CHARLESTON – After seeing a spike in deaths tied to outbreaks in nursing homes across the state, Gov. Jim Justice said visitations to nursing homes would need to stop once again.

Speaking Wednesday during his coronavirus briefing from the State Capitol Building, Justice said that visitations to nursing homes will be closed as of midnight except for emergencies and end-of-life circumstances.

Justice first closed nursing homes to visitors by executive order on March 12. After a series of nursing home outbreaks in April, West Virginia became the first state in the nation to test all residents and staff at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The state implemented a multi-phased plan to re-open nursing homes to visitation starting June 10.

Since Sunday, there have been 28 deaths from COVID-19 in West Virginia, with several deaths tied to nursing homes in Mercer and Grant counties.