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Coronavirus

Three more deaths from the virus reported in W.Va.

CHARLESTON — Another three people in West Virginia have died from the COVID-19 coronavirus between Monday and Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Resources said Tuesday. Deaths confirmed were a 95-year-old woman from Hancock County, a 63-year-old man from Berkeley County and a 58-year-old woman from Taylor County, the department said. The additional deaths raise the total number of dead since the pandemic began in West Virginia at 7,277 people. “This is an incredibly difficult time for the families and friends of these West Virginians,” department Secretary Bill J. ...

Hoyer: Latest omicron booster likely after Labor Day

CHARLESTON — Distribution of the booster vaccines targeting the latest omicron BA.5 strain will begin after Labor Day in West Virginia, a state official said Monday. The state initially will order around 50,000 doses, its authorized amount, James Hoyer, the head of the interagency task force on vaccines, said during the governor’s pandemic briefing on Monday morning. The Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration will meet for approval of the booster vaccines Sept. 1 and 2, he said. “We’re going to be focusing on long-term care, assisted living, and West ...

West Virginia reports spike in active COVID cases

CHARLESTON — Active COVID-19 cases in West Virginia made a steep increase between Thursday and Friday, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources said. Active cases were at 3,187 on Friday, up 366 from Thursday’s county, according to the Friday morning pandemic update from the department. Cases rose nearly 200 statewide between Wednesday and Thursday mornings. The department also reported 1,060 new cases of the virus have been received in the 24-hour period between the Thursday and Friday updates. The increase in cases is reflected on the County Alert System Map ...

Moderna sues Pfizer over patents behind COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna is suing Pfizer and the German drugmaker BioNTech, accusing its main competitors of copying Moderna's technology in order to make their own vaccine. Moderna said Friday that Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine Comirnaty infringes on patents Moderna filed several years ...

West Virginia: Active COVID cases rise as hospitalizations drop

CHARLESTON — COVID-19 cases continued to fluctuate with an increase of almost 200 cases in West Virginia between Wednesday and Thursday. However, hospitalizations dropped about 11 percent between Wednesday and Thursday. Gov. Jim Justice, speaking during his Thursday pandemic briefing, said there has been improvement, albeit slow. “It’s slow, but it’s better,” Justice said. The Department of Health and Human Resources reported 2,821 active cases statewide, up from the 2,627 reported on Wednesday. Cases have been fluctuating for the past weeks and were around 3,000 on ...

Tweaked COVID boosters close but how much will they help?

COVID-19 vaccines tweaked to better match today's omicron threat are expected to roll out in a few weeks but still up in the air is how much benefit the booster shots will offer, who should get one -- and how soon. Pfizer and rival Moderna both asked U.S. regulators this week to authorize ...