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CHARLESTON -- Three deaths from the COVID-19 virus were reported Thursday morning in the pandemic update by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
The department reported the deaths of a 77-year-old man from Mingo County, a 77-year-old man from Harrison County and an 87-year-old woman from Monongalia County.
The number of deaths since the pandemic began was at 2,904 as of Thursday.
"As we continue the fight against this pandemic, we are saddened by the loss of more West Virginians," department Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. "Scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine is the most powerful way to prevent further loss of life to this devastating disease."
Mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics through the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, appointments unnecessary, will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays on 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.
Information about the vaccines is available at vaccinate.wv.gov or 1-833-734-0965. Residents 12 and older with at least one dose of the also can register for the Do it for Babydog vaccine sweepstakes at doitforbabydog.wv.gov.
Active cases in West Virginia continued to decline, from 1,055 as of Wednesday morning to 1,026 on Thursday morning. Fifty-three new cases of the virus have been received since the last report on Thursday, the state said.
Active cases in local counties as of Wednesday were: Calhoun, 8 (8); Doddridge 10 (9); Gilmer, 3 (3); Jackson, 10 (9); Pleasants 0 (0); Ritchie, 4 (3); Roane, 6 (6); Tyler, 10 (9); Wetzel, 15 (16); Wirt, 0 (0); Wood, 18 (17.)
The Delta variant of the virus, the more infectious and severe mutant strain, increased from 12 to 15 cases in West Virginia, Dr. Clay Marsh, coronavirus leader in West Virginia, said. The Delta strain, which is becoming predominant strain across the country, infects unvaccinated and not fully vaccinated people, according to Marsh.
Seventy-four people are in a hospital with 24 in an intensive care unit and nine on ventilators.
Tyler and Webster counties moved from green, the lowest on the scale, to yellow, second lowest, in the County Alert System map. Mingo and Morgan counties remained yellow while Mineral was upgraded to green.