×

West Virginia COVID-19 deaths surpass 4K

Five Mid-Ohio Valley residents among latest report

PARKERSBURG — The number of COVID-19 deaths in West Virginia passed the 4,000 mark, according to Thursday’s update from the state Department of Health and Human Resources.

The agency’s daily COVID statistical update reported 50 additional deaths on Thursday, with the youngest a 25-year-old man from Cabell County and the oldest a 101-year-old woman from Kanawha County. The deaths of an 89-year-old Roane County man, a 66-year-old Wood County man, an 80-year-old Jackson County woman and two Pleasants County women, ages 64 and 79, were also attributed to the virus.

“Every life lost to this pandemic is a tragedy, and we offer our sincere condolences to these families,” said DHHR Cabinet Secretary Bill J. Crouch. “Please schedule a COVID-19 vaccine to protect yourself and those around you.”

Asked if there was any particular reason the death total was so much higher than the three reported Wednesday, DHHR Public Information Officer Andrea Lannom noted the deaths did not occur the day prior to the report but can span several days or weeks.

There were1,264 new COVID-19 cases reported statewide, bringing the total up slightly to 9,904 after three days of declines.

Active cases in area counties as of Thursday (Wednesday) are: Calhoun, 25 (28); Doddridge, 88 (60); Gilmer, 49 (51); Jackson, 205 (201); Pleasants, 27 (26); Ritchie, 78 (61); Roane, 95 (87); Tyler, 46 (36); Wetzel, 106 (84); Wirt, 36 (41); Wood, 530 (471).

Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department Threat Preparedness Coordinator Carrie Brainard said there was no overriding factor in the increases in active cases in Wood or Ritchie counties.

“We’ve not had any major outbreaks to speak of,” she said. “It’s just there.”

WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center reported 67 COVID-19 patients Thursday, 52 of whom are either unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. Fourteen of those patients are in the intensive care unit, 12 of them classified as unvaccinated. Fourteen of the 15 patients on ventilators are unvaccinated.

Doddridge County’s active case total dropped from 93 on Tuesday to 60 on Wednesday before jumping back to 88 Thursday. Heather Amos, the county health department’s R.N. administrator, said they were still working to verify updated numbers from the North Central Regional Jail on Thursday afternoon.

The most recent correctional facility statistics posted on the state’s online coronavirus dashboard are from Oct. 1. State officials have told the Parkersburg News and Sentinel this week they are working to update and provide that information.

Once again, Wood and Jackson were the only red counties locally, which indicates the highest level of virus spread on the state’s County Alert System map, based on the rate of new cases per 100,000 people over a one- or two-week period, depending on population, or the rate of tests coming back positive, whichever is lower.

Gilmer, Ritchie, Tyler, Wetzel and Wirt counties remained orange, the second-highest level, and were joined Thursday by Doddridge, which moved up from gold, the middle of the spectrum. Roane remained gold, and Calhoun County reached that level after being classified as yellow, the second lowest, on Wednesday. Pleasants was the only yellow county in the Mid-Ohio Valley on Thursday, with none green, the lowest classification.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

***

* More information about vaccines or vaccination sites is available at vaccinate.wv.gov or 1-833-734-0965.

* Information on free COVID-19 testing opportunities is available at https://tinyurl.com/7d79s675.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today