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Hospitalizations of unvaccinated COVID patients continue to rise in West Virginia

CHARLESTON — Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in West Virginia continue to rise with 1,080 patients in the hospital as of Thursday morning, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources.

The department Thursday also reported five pediatric patients with COVID-19 are on a ventilator. Fourteen pediatric patients are in a hospital and four are in an intensive care unit, according to the department.

The state surpassed the previous record of hospitalizations on Wednesday with 1,043 patients. The previous record was 1,012 on Sept. 24.

Most of the patients in the hospital are unvaccinated, 725, or 67.1 percent, the department said.

ICU admissions were 217, 177 of those unvaccinated. The most ICU admissions of patients with COVID-19 was 296 on Sept. 29.

Patients who are on a ventilator totaled 120 on Thursday, 111 of those unvaccinated. The most vented patients were 195 on Sept. 25.

Seventy-four COVID patients were at WVU Medicine Camden Clark on Thursday. Thirty are vaccinated. Nine are in the ICU where one is vaccinated and seven are on ventilators, one of those vaccinated.

Most cases now are the omicron variant, according to Dr. Clay Marsh, the state’s coronavirus adviser. The omicron mutation of the virus is more transmissible than the previous delta strain.

While there are cases of vaccinated patients becoming infected, called breakthrough cases, complications are less severe and there’s a lesser chance of having to be admitted in a hospital and dying, Marsh said.

Of the 4,596 residents who have died since vaccinations began in December 2020, 512, or about 11 percent, were breakthrough cases, the department said.

Another 23 residents have died from COVID-19 in West Virginia from Wednesday to Thursday morning, the department said.

Deaths include an 82-year-old man from Wood County, raising the county death toll to 296 since the pandemic began two years ago.

Statewide, 5,697 residents have died from the virus.

Deaths reported on Thursday included residents from Fayette, Jefferson, Clay, Mason, Barbour, Wyoming, Raleigh, Logan, Marion, Preston, Berkeley, Ohio, Cabell, Braxton, Taylor, Mercer, Nicholas and Lincoln counties. The youngest was a 36-year-old woman from Raleigh County.

“If you are hesitant of the COVID vaccine, please talk to your physician,” DHHR Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. “Those who contract this virus without protection of the vaccine or booster are at an incredibly high risk for hospitalization and loss of life. I urge you to make that phone call today.”

The state reported 17,525 active cases with 5,205 new cases received since the last update on Wednesday. Active cases were 18,149 on Wednesday.

Active cases in local counties (previous day) are: Wood, 707 (756); Wirt 44 (58); Wetzel 154 (130); Tyler 109 (109); Roane 127 (150); Ritchie 92 (89); Pleasants 45 (51); Jackson 122 (127); Gilmer 50 (73); Doddridge 87 (105); Calhoun 70 (81).

Wood, Wirt, Wetzel, Tyler, Ritchie, Doddridge, Calhoun and Roane counties are red, the highest level of alert, on the County Alert System map. Pleasants and Gilmer counties are orange, second highest. Jackson County is gold, mid level on the chart.

Thirty-nine counties are red.

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