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CHARLESTON -- Calhoun County is one of two yellow areas on West Virginia's mostly green COVID-19 County Alert System map.
The map measures the spread of the virus based on infection rate, the number of new cases among per 100,000 people in a one- or two-week period, and percent positivity, the rate at which tests come back positive. A color is assigned based on the lower of the two metrics.
Both Calhoun's infection rate and percent positivity were in the yellow range, second lowest, according to Friday's statistics from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
Calhoun had two active cases on Wednesday, but that number rose to nine Thursday and 11 Friday. Malcolm Lanham, population health director for the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, said the agency hasn't received notice of any outbreaks in the area.
"It could be any number of things," he said. "We are monitoring that."
Marshall County in the Northern Panhandle is the only other yellow county in the state. The other 53 are green, indicating the lowest level of spread.
Active cases in other local counties Friday (Thursday) were: Doddridge, 0 (0); Gilmer, 1 (1); Jackson, 3 (1); Pleasants, 0 (0); Ritchie, 2 (2); Roane, 0 (2); Tyler, 1 (2); Wetzel, 3 (1); Wirt, 0 (0); Wood, 14 (15).
Statewide, the active case total rose again to 544 after hitting 500 Thursday. There were 177 new cases reported.
One death was attributed to the virus in Friday's update, that of a 93-year-old Mason County man.
"As we send sympathies to this family, I urge everyone in West Virginia to do their part to stop the spread of this virus and prevent further loss of life," DHHR Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. "Please schedule your COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot today."
Hospitalizations around the state ticked up from 78 Thursday to 86 Friday. Fifty of those patients (58.1%) are unvaccinated. There were 21 in intensive care units (11 unvaccinated), one less than the previous day. There were 10 on ventilators, half vaccinated.
Two pediatric COVID hospitalizations were reported.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.