Trending
CHARLESTON -- A 72-year-old Wood County man is among the confirmed fatalities from the COVID-19 coronavirus reported on Wednesday by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
Fifteen additional deaths were reported in the 24-hour period from Tuesday to Wednesday morning, raising the death toll from the virus since the pandemic began in the spring of 2020 to 4,490 deaths.
The number of deaths in Wood County was at 250 on Wednesday morning, according to the state.
The state Wednesday confirmed the deaths of a 70-year-old woman from Mason County, a 72-year-old man from Monongalia County, an 86-year-old woman from Cabell County, a 76-year-old woman from Harrison County, a 66-year-old man from Lincoln County, a 72-year-old woman from Harrison County, a 71-year-old man from Harrison County, a 40-year-old man from Hancock County, an 88-year-old man from Kanawha County, a 63-year-old woman from Cabell County, a 57-year-old woman from Mingo County, a 61-year-old man from Harrison County, a 66-year-old man from Kanawha County and an 83-year-old woman from Kanawha County.
"As we continue the fight against this pandemic, we are saddened by the loss of more West Virginians, and offer our condolences to these families," said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. "If you are eligible, please schedule your COVID vaccine or booster today."
Active cases slightly increased on Wednesday from Tuesday. Cases totaled 6,635 on Wednesday, up from 6,597 on Tuesday.
The state reported 849 new cases of the virus from Tuesday to Wednesday morning.
Wood, Jackson, Roane, Calhoun and Gilmer counties are orange on the County Alert System Map, second highest below red based on spread of infection. Wood County's status on the alert map impacts the mask mandate in schools.
Tyler, Ritchie and Doddridge counties are green, the lowest alert level. Pleasants and Wirt are yellow, second lowest. Wetzel is at mid-level gold.
Ten counties are red in West Virginia.
The state reported 561 people are in the hospital with COVID-19 complications, 78.1 percent of those are unvaccinated. Of the 184 patients in an intensive care unit, 155, or 84.2 percent, are unvaccinated. Of the 103 people on a ventilator, 87, or 84.5 percent are not vaccinated.
Of the 40 COVID-19 patients at WVU Medicine Camden Clark, six people have been vaccinated. None of the 11 patients in ICU have been vaccinated and one of the 10 patients on a ventilator has been vaccinated, the hospital said.
The state is reporting 8.32 percent of the 3,373 deaths since vaccinations commenced in December are residents who have been vaccinated, called breakthrough cases.