Trending
CHARLESTON -- Active cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Wood County increased by half since Friday, according to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
Twenty-seven cases were reported Monday in Wood County, up from 18 from the last report on Friday.
Current active cases in local counties (previous report) are: Calhoun 5 (6), Doddridge 0 (1), Gilmer 0 (0), Jackson 7 (4), Pleasants 6 (4), Ritchie 0 (3), Roane 5 (10), Tyler 3 (3), 2 Wetzel (3) and Wirt 1 (1).
Statewide, active cases were reported at 1,343, an increase of more than 500 in a week and 233 more than what was reported on Friday.
The most statewide cases of the virus in the latest surge was in January at more than 27,700.
The increase in cases, hospitalizations and the Rt number that measures spread is unconnected to the current national surge, James Hoyer, head of the joint interagency task force on vaccines, said during Friday's pandemic briefing by the governor.
The state spike is what is normally seen after holidays such as Easter and trips during spring breaks, Hoyer said.
"We believe that is what is influencing our current numbers right now," he said. "We in West Virginia could see in the next three to four weeks that broader national surge because we tend to be three to four weeks behind in those numbers."
Hospitalizations statewide were at 101 on Monday, 56 unvaccinated. Twenty-five people are in an intensive care unit, 17 unvaccinated, with 16 on a ventilator, 11 unvaccinated.
Two pediatric cases were reported.
With the increase in cases, 15 counties are yellow on the County Alert System Map based on infection rates. None are in this region where all counties including Wood are green, the lowest level of alert.
Yellow is the second lowest. The state was entirely green several weeks ago.
Two deaths were reported Monday since the Friday update. Deaths attributed to the virus were at 6,882 on Monday since the virus began in West Virginia.
The department confirmed the deaths of a 66-year-old woman from Berkeley County and an 83-year-old woman from Hampshire County.
"The continued loss of West Virginians weighs heavily on all of us, with the greatest sadness borne by family and friends," department Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. "Please utilize the vaccine calculator to ensure you are up to date on your COVID vaccine."
The Division of Corrections reported 18 staff and 15 inmate cases.