BARNESVILLE — More than two dozen employees of WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital are quarantined after having contact with a patient who tested positive for COVID-19.

Spokeswoman Karin Janisewski confirmed Sunday that 30 employees are affected. She also provided a statement issued by hospital President and CEO David Phillips.

“The Ohio valley is deep in battle with a new virus. Barnesville Hospital experienced that (last) week,” Phillip’s wrote. “A patient at the hospital presented with other issues. However several days in to their stay their condition deteriorated and the hospital tested them for covid 19. The test came back positive.

“Hospital staff had worn personal protective equipment, including N95 masks and gloves with the exception being protective eyewear, as the patient was not showing symptoms at first. As an abundance of caution those employees were placed off work and paid while quarantined (last) week and were tested. As tests come back negative, they should all return by no later than April 6.”

Janisewski noted that the patient involved has been transferred to another hospital.

The hospital had implemented a no visitor policy for patients on March 23. Limited exceptions are being made in some end-of-life and pediatric cases, with one visitor permitted.

The hospital also began testing patients with symptoms of the novel coronavirus earlier in March.