ST. MARYS — There are nearly 300 active cases of COVID-19 at St. Marys Correctional Center and Jail.

Those 285 cases make up the bulk of the active cases in Pleasants County, which jumped from 146 Thursday morning to 307 as of Friday’s update from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, released at noon Friday.

The additional cases reflect “extensive testing throughout the facility,” Lawrence Messina, a spokesman for the state Department of Homeland Security, said via email Friday. “With 25 of those tests still pending, 94 inmates tested negative.

“So far, 24 St. Marys inmates have recovered,” he said. “In addition, the facility is at 58 percent capacity. The hundreds of available beds help ensure the facility can quarantine and medically isolate inmates as necessary.”

The state’s online coronavirus dashboard listed 285 active cases at St. Marys as of 3 p.m. on Christmas day. While the report does not break down the number of cases among inmates and staff at individual facilities, it says there are 19 active cases among correctional center staff in the state, and St. Marys is the only correctional center listed with active cases.

In an online briefing Friday afternoon, Gov. Jim Justice said the state is on pace to wrap up COVID-19 vaccinations in assisted living facilities by Monday, then move on to “vaccinating … the vaccinators.”

“Primary care providers, rural health clinics, free clinics, home health, hospice providers, urgent cares and federally qualified health centers will receive these vaccines this week,” Justice said. “By focusing on these people, we can keep the engine running to where we can take care of our people.”

West Virginia continues to lead the nation in rate of vaccination, with just over 47 percent of its nearly 61,000 doses administered, Justice said. Maine is the next closest state, with 28 percent.

But the state’s Rt number – which shows the rate at which the virus is spreading in the community – was 1.19, “the second-worst in the entire country,” the governor said.

Justice read the ages and home counties of 55 West Virginians whose deaths had been attributed to COVID since Wednesday’s briefing. He said the numbers were one reason he wanted to hold a briefing Friday, because the total could top 100 by Monday.

Justice thanked the people who were working on Christmas, including health care workers and state Department of Transportation personnel clearing snow from roads.

DHHR Secretary Bill J. Crouch praised the people continuing to investigate outbreaks and trace contacts, even on the holiday, in an effort to prevent further spread of the virus.

“Pandemics don’t stop for holidays,” he said.

Twenty COVID-19 deaths were confirmed between Thursday’s update and Friday’s, ranging in age from a 51-year-old man from Berkeley County to a 92-year-old Boone County woman. The state has lost 1,247 residents to the virus since the start of the pandemic.

Virus statistics for Mid-Ohio Valley counties as of Friday’s update were:

∫ Calhoun: 21 active cases, 100 recovered, 111 total confirmed, 10 total probable, 4,701 tests, 0 deaths.

∫ Doddridge: 57 active, 167 recovered, 182 total confirmed, 45 total probable, 3,309 tests, 3 deaths.

∫ Gilmer: 89 active, 255 recovered, 289 total confirmed, 56 total probable, 6,039 tests, 0 deaths.

∫ Jackson: 244 active, 800 recovered, 999 total confirmed, 74 total probable, 17,014 tests, 29 deaths.

∫ Pleasants: 307 active, 183 recovered, 424 total confirmed, 71 total probable, 4,551 tests, 5 deaths.

∫ Ritchie: 58 active, 245 recovered, 267 total confirmed, 43 total probable, 5,753 tests, 7 deaths.

∫ Roane: 48 active, 224 recovered, 263 total confirmed, 14 total probable, 10,105 tests, 5 deaths.

∫ Tyler: 73 active, 241 recovered, 221 total confirmed, 95 total probable, 4,768 tests, 2 deaths.

∫ Wetzel: 118 active, 508 recovered, 404 total confirmed, 238 total probable, 8,607 tests, 16 deaths.

∫ Wirt: 49 active, 147 recovered, 155 total confirmed, 42 total probable, 2,592 tests, 1 death.

∫ Wood: 1,136 active, 3,399 recovered, 3,508 total confirmed, 1,068 probable, 58,753 tests, 41 deaths.

Information on free COVID-19 testing opportunities can be found online at dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx.