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CHARLESTON -- Active cases of the COVID-19 virus were at 15,906 Wednesday in West Virginia, another decline from the previous day's tally, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources said.
The number of active cases dropped 1,333 from Tuesday when cases were at 17,239. Cases don't remain on the active list as long as reported prior to Jan. 6, when the state changed the criteria for active cases after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened the recommended quarantine period for asymptomatic individuals from 10 days to five.
The department also reported 3,606 new cases were received in the 24-hour period from Tuesday to Wednesday morning. The daily positivity rate for testing was 22.67 percent.
Active cases in Wood County were 796 on Wednesday, 66 fewer than Tuesday. Active cases in other Mid-Ohio Valley counties on Wednesday (Tuesday) were: Calhoun, 40 (49); Doddridge, 36 (40); Gilmer, 47 (54); Jackson, 77 (109); Pleasants, 56 (68); Ritchie, 71 (84); Roane, 126 (154 ); Tyler, 83 (83); Wetzel, 124 (141); Wirt, 50 (55).
Fifteen additional deaths were confirmed since the last update on Tuesday, raising the total since the pandemic began to 5,576.
The department confirmed the deaths of residents from Cabell, Mercer, Berkeley, Raleigh, Harrison and Mercer counties. A 78-year-old woman from Jefferson County who died in December was added to the count from the Bureau for Public Health's data reconciliation with death certificates.
State health officials, who have warned residents against unsubstantiated claims and misinformation about the vaccines appearing on social media sites, have encouraged residents to get vaccinated and get the booster shots.
"Vaccination helps prevent the most tragic outcomes from COVID-19, hospitalization and death," DHHR Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. "I urge every eligible West Virginian to choose to be vaccinated today."
About 11 percent of the 4,477 deaths from the virus since vaccinations started in December 2020 are of vaccinated residents.
The County Alert System map, based on infection rates, was online Wednesday after adjustments were made to reflect the new classification of active cases. Wood, Wirt, Roane, Ritchie, Pleasants, Tyler and Wetzel counties were red, the highest alert level. Jackson was yellow, second lowest. Doddridge was gold, mid-level. Calhoun and Gilmer are orange, second highest.
The more infectious omicron variant is the dominant strain in the state, Dr. Clay Marsh, coronavirus leader in West Virginia, said on Wednesday during the governor's pandemic briefing.
Omicron cases may plateau in the next five to 14 days, Marsh said. Hospitalizations will continue to increase for a while after, he said.
"The hospitalizations and deaths will be the last things to peak," Marsh said.
Hospitalizations increased by seven to 915 on Wednesday, of which 633 are unvaccinated patients. The state reported 215 patients in an intensive care unit, 182 unvaccinated, and 125 patients who are on a ventilator, 113 of those unvaccinated.
Fifteen patients are pediatric admissions. One pediatric patient is in an ICU.
At WVU Medicine Camden Clark, 60 COVID patients are in the hospital, 27 vaccinated, with 13 in ICU where two are vaccinated and 11 patients on a ventilator, one vaccinated.