CHARLESTON — Active cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus dropped to below 1,000 for the first time in a year, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reported Friday.

The state reported 999 active cases of the virus, the first time active cases were below 1,000 since July 2020.

Active cases peaked at 29,257 on Jan. 10 in West Virginia.

Active cases in local counties as of Friday were: Calhoun, 8 (8); Doddridge 9 (9); Gilmer, 3 (3); Jackson, 10 (10); Pleasants 2 (0); Ritchie, 4 (4); Roane, 6 (6); Tyler, 10 (10); Wetzel, 16 (15); Wirt, 0 (0); Wood, 16 (18.)

Sixty-six new cases of the virus were reported in the 24-hour period from Thursday to Friday morning. The daily positivity rate was 1.61 percent and the cumulative since the pandemic began was 4.98 percent.

Four more deaths from the COVID-19 virus also were reported Friday morning, raising the death toll to 2,908 people, according to the DHHR. The department reported the deaths of a 57-year-old man from Monroe County, an 83-year-old woman from Kanawha County, a 74-year-old man from Raleigh County and an 82-year-old woman from Berkeley County.

“As we send our condolences to these grieving families, we remind West Virginians that a COVID-19 vaccine is the best protection from getting very sick with COVID,” department Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. “I urge all state residents who have not yet received their vaccine to schedule an appointment.”

State health officers are concerned with the Delta variant becoming the dominant strain and infecting the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. The Delta variant is the most infectious, according to Dr. Clay Marsh, coronavirus leader in West Virginia.

The state, which monitors infections by the variants, reported 18 infections of the Delta mutant strain as of Friday, an increase of six in the last week.

Twelve of the Delta infections are in Berkeley and Monongalia counties where there are six in each. The others are in Greenbrier, Kanawha, Harrison, Marion, McDowell and Hampshire counties,

Other variants counted are 2,394 United Kingdom, seven South Africa and 22 Brazil.

Variant counts in local counties as of Friday: Wood, 36, U.K., 3 Brazil; Wirt, 9 U.K.; Wetzel, 36 U.K.; Tyler, four U.K.; Roane, 12 U.K.; Ritchie, 13 U.K.; Pleasants, 19 U.K.; Jackson, 26 U.K.; Gilmer, 19 U.K.; Doddridge, 17 U.K.; Calhoun, 9 U.K..

Seventy-five West Virginia patients are in a hospital with COVID-19 complications, of which 24 are in an intensive care unit and 10 are on ventilators.

Putnam and Wyoming counties moved from green, the lowest level of infection and spread, to yellow, second lowest, on the County Alert System map, joining Tyler, Mingo, Morgan and Webster counties in the yellow category.

Pop-up vaccination clinics have been scheduled in Wood County through the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department. Appointments are unnecessary.

Clinics will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 15, 22 and 29 in the City Park Pavilion; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays at Spencer Park in Vienna; and noon to 4 p.m. Fridays at the Mid-Ohio Valley Transit Authority on Juliana Street.

A clinic will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 17 at Shelter 4 at City Park during the 5K Color Run at the park.

One-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines and the Pfizer vaccine for those aged 12 to 18 will be administered.

Vaccine information is available at vaccinate.wv.gov or 1-833-734-0965. Residents 12 and older with at least one dose can register for the Do it for Babydog vaccine sweepstakes at doitforbabydog.wv.gov.