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CHARLESTON -- After multiple days without any reported COVID-related deaths, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced 22 fatalities attributed to the virus Monday.
The dead ranged in age from a 44-year-old woman from Jefferson County to a 96-year-old woman from Wayne County and included two Roane County women, ages 81 and 94, and a 56-year-old Wood County man.
"In West Virginia, we have a high percentage of children who are cared for by a grandparent," DHHR Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. "We cannot afford to lose these family pillars, who provide critical love and care, to COVID-19. Please protect your family with the vaccine and boosters."
The number of total deaths reported Monday was likely due to a lag in reporting caused by a National Center for Health Statistics data system update from June 6-20 and the Fourth of July holiday, said Allison C. Adler, director of communications for the DHHR.
Active cases rose to 2,858 Monday from 2,428 Friday. There were 1,988 new cases reported since Friday morning's update.
Active cases in local counties on Monday (Friday) were: Calhoun, 7 (5); Doddridge, 5 (4); Gilmer, 10 (8); Jackson, 31 (26); Pleasants, 16 (12); Ritchie, 13 (10); Roane, 13 (13); Tyler, 5 (5); Wetzel, 24 (21); Wirt, 6 (5); Wood, 128 (94).
Much of the County Alert System Map was yellow on Monday, representing the second-lowest level of viral spread. The scale goes from green to yellow to gold, then orange and red, based on the infection rate per 100,000 people over the previous seven days or the percentage of tests coming back positive, whichever is lower.
For example, Calhoun, Pleasants and Ritchie counties' positivity rates of 12.5 percent, 19.32 percent and 13.75 percent qualified as red, but their infection rates were in the yellow range. Every Mid-Ohio Valley county was marked yellow Monday.
Just nine counties were green, while McDowell and Wyoming counties were gold.
Hospital statistics had not been updated as of Monday afternoon.
The DHHR announced Monday that its Center for Threat Preparedness has distributed 18,246 free COVID-19 antigen test kits to 32 summer camps in the state. Summer camps, such as Summit Bechtel Reserve in Glen Jean, have incorporated the tests into their COVID-19 safety protocols for campers, according to a release from the agency.
"Last spring while preparing for our summer and fall seasons, COVID-19 testing kits were hard to find. DHHR helped us in a significant way by providing 2,000 COVID-19 testing kits," Rob Ridgeway, Summit Bechtel Reserve chief of staff, said in the release. "That support helped us provide a much safer experience for more than 6,000 scouts over eight weeks. The tests along with stressing washing hands, physical distancing, being outdoors as much as possible, identifying symptoms early and active contact tracing have kept our positive cases and any spread to a minimum so far."
Camps that are interested in receiving test kits are directed to reach out to their local health departments for instructions.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.