Breaking News

Coronavirus

Active COVID cases, hospitalizations continues to fluctuate in West Virginia

CHARLESTON — Active cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus dropped by 130 between Wednesday and Thursday, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reported on Thursday morning. The state reported 3,036 active cases Thursday, a decline from the 3,166 reported in its Wednesday morning pandemic update. Active cases at the high point of the surges during the 30-month-old pandemic were from 21,700 to 29,700. The lowest levels this year were around 260 in the first of April. The department also reported 968 new cases were received between Wednesday and Thursday. Current ...

West Virginia sees slight increase in COVID hospitalizations, infections

CHARLESTON — Hospitalizations slightly increased again in the 24 hours between Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, according to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. The department in its Wednesday morning pandemic update reported 349 people were in a hospital, 186 of those unvaccinated, up 12 from 337 on Tuesday. Fifty-three patients are in an intensive care unit, 34 unvaccinated. Forty-nine patients were in an ICU on Tuesday. Fourteen patients are on ventilators, five unvaccinated. Six confirmed deaths were reported between Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the ...

12 kids in W.Va. hospitalized with COVID-19

CHARLESTON — A dozen children were hospitalized in West Virginia with COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning. That’s twice as many as were listed on Friday in the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ daily update on the status of the virus in the state. Four of them were in intensive care units, with one on a ventilator. Dr. Clay Marsh, the state’s coronavirus czar, said in an emailed statement Tuesday that there have been no links found between the cases. “We suspect this increased number represents ... omicron BA.5 impacting West Virginia citizens, including ...

Wetzel County man among latest COVID-19 deaths

CHARLESTON — A Wetzel County resident was among five people whose deaths were attributed to COVID-19 in the latest report from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. The death of the 74-year-old Wetzel County man was confirmed along with an 80-year-old man from Harrison County, a 70-year-old woman from Kanawha County, a 67-year-old man from Kanawha County and an 83-year-old man from Cabell County. “Each loved one lost is forever remembered, and as a state we grieve with their families, friends and neighbors,” DHHR Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. “COVID ...

COVID hospitalizations down, cases up in West Virginia

CHARLESTON — The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in West Virginia decreased for the second consecutive day. There were 319 patients with the virus Friday, according to the morning update from the state Department of Health and Human Resources, down from 327 Thursday and 332 Wednesday. State officials have said the capacity for COVID patients is about 500. That’s lower than the 800-patient threshold during the prior surges attributed to the delta and omicron variants, due to staffing and other issues. Of the 319 hospitalized COVID patients, 167 are unvaccinated, while ...

Marsh urges West Virginians to not put off COVID boosters

CHARLESTON — Though one new type of COVID-19 vaccine is on the way and research continues on other avenues, West Virginia’s coronavirus czar doesn’t recommend people wait to get a booster dose. “There is some confusion in some people about whether or not they should wait for a booster that might be available in the fall, in October or so, that may have some more protection against omicron,” Dr. Clay Marsh, chancellor and executive dean for health sciences at West Virginia University, said during Gov. Jim Justice’s online briefing Thursday. “But the key for almost every ...