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West Virginia reports drop in active COVID-19 cases

CHARLESTON — Active cases of the COVID-19 virus dropped again from Tuesday to Wednesday, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources said.

The department reported 2,272 active cases on Wednesday, down 115 from the Tuesday pandemic update. Also reported were 632 new cases of the virus were received between the Tuesday and Wednesday updates.

Current active cases in local counties (previous day) on Wednesday were: Calhoun 11 (10), Doddridge 8 (9), Gilmer 16 (12), Jackson 11 (9), Pleasants 7 (4), Ritchie 10 (12), Roane 20 (16), Tyler 14 (17), Wetzel 36 (35), Wirt 2 (1), Wood 60 (58).

The latest variants of the omicron mutation have shown to be the most infectious, Dr. Clay Marsh, coronavirus adviser to the state, said during the governor’s Wednesday morning briefing. Marsh encouraged residents to become vaccinated and stay up-to-date on boosters as the potency of the vaccines diminishes over time.

The increase in hospitalizations in the past month shows the virus remains active, according to Marsh.

“There is still the presence of COVID-19 that is lurking,” he said.

The state reported 188 people statewide are in a hospital with COVID-19 complications, 93 of those unvaccinated. Twenty-eight patients are in an intensive care unit, 15 unvaccinated, with six on a ventilator, 1 unvaccinated.

Confirmed COVID-19 deaths in West Virginia since the pandemic started in early 2020 were at 6,997 residents.

Four more residents were added between Tuesday and Wednesday, one from the data reconciliation by the Bureau of Public Health with death certificates. The reconciliation death was a 42-year-old man from Monongalia County that occurred in December.

The three additional deaths were a 64-year-old man from Wetzel County, a 54-year-old man from Lewis County and a 67-year-old woman from Kanawha County.

“We are saddened by the loss of more West Virginians and extend deepest condolences to these grieving families,” department Secretary Bill J. Crouch said.

Twenty counties are yellow on the County Alert System Map, second lowest to green. Wetzel, Tyler, Doddridge and Ritchie counties remain yellow in this region.

All other counties in the state are green.

Twenty-eight staff and 155 inmates have COVID-19 in the Division of Corrections. Of the inmate infections, 111 are at the North Central Regional Jail in Doddridge County.

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