Trending
CHARLESTON -- West Virginia State Health Officer and Bureau for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Cathy Slemp has resigned.
According to a press release from Gov. Jim Justice’s office, Slemp’s resignation was requested by Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch today after the governor “expressed … his lack of confidence in Dr. Slemp’s leadership of the Bureau for Public Health due to a series of recent events involving issues under her direct control.”
The release did not elaborate on those issues, but during Justice’s coronavirus briefing Wednesday, he said recent COVID-19 statistics reported by the state have been inaccurate. The DHHR’s coronavirus dashboard listed 698 active cases today, compared to 770 on Sunday.
“There’s either a breakdown at the local level or there is a breakdown at our level,” he said. “If we were on our game here in DHHR -- in Dr. Slemp’s office -- if we’re on our game and you’re listening to the governor say that there are six active cases at Huttonsville and you’re looking at the reports you’re putting together and sending them to me on active cases and you’re looking at Randolph County and they report 100 and some odd cases, then you’re not doing your job and you’re not having the passion behind what you’re putting together.”
In the release, Justice expressed appreciation for Slemp’s service, especially during the pandemic.