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CHARLESTON -- Decreases in active COVID-19 cases slowed or stopped in some Mid-Ohio Valley counties, and the deaths of three area residents were attributed to the virus, according to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
Even with 1,477 new cases reported since Wednesday's update, the overall number of active cases in the state declined again to 15,177. That's down from 15,280 the day before, following multiple days of steep drops from a high of 29,257 last Friday.
Wood County's active cases went from 734 to 732, after multiple days of double- and triple-digit declines. Active cases in other local counties on Thursday were (previous report): Calhoun, 68 (70); Doddridge, 56 (55); Gilmer, 40 (40); Jackson, 216 (229); Pleasants, 80 (78); Ritchie, 138 (132): Roane 123 (101); Tyler, 109 (105); Wetzel, 151 (161); Wirt, 50 (50).
State officials have said hospitalizations and deaths are not likely to decline as quickly as active cases have.
West Virginia added 25 deaths to the COVID toll Thursday, including a 70-year-old Wood County woman, a 53-year-old Pleasants County man and a 63-year-old Wirt County woman. Others ranged in age from a 53-year-old man from Nicholas County to a 97-year-old man from Harrison County.
"Today is another difficult day in our fight against COVID-19 and we extend our deepest sympathies to these families," said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR cabinet secretary.
There were 1,005 people in West Virginia hospitals with COVID, 81.2 percent of them unvaccinated. Intensive care units had 290 COVID patients, nearly 86 percent of whom were unvaccinated. DHHR reported 187 people on ventilators, with 86.1 percent unvaccinated.
Wood, Jackson, Ritchie and Tyler counties remained red on the County Alert System Map, indicating the highest level of spread based on the number of new cases per 100,000 people in a one- or two-week period or the percentage of positivity, whichever is lower. They were joined again by Wetzel County, which had improved to the second-highest level of orange.
On orange were Doddridge, Pleasants, Roane and Wirt, while Calhoun and Gilmer counties were gold, the middle of the scale.
Tucker County was the only one in the state on yellow, the second-lowest level, while Pocahontas was the only green county, representing the lowest level of spread.