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Staff Report
PARKERSBURG -- A Wood County man is among the four deaths from COVID-19 reported Tuesday morning by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
The department confirmed the death of a 79-year-old man from Wood County, a 61-year-old woman from Mercer County, a 92-year-old man from Ohio County and a 76-year-old man from Lewis County.
The death count on Tuesday since the pandemic started more than two years ago was at 7,106 residents who have succumbed to the complications of the virus.
"To all who are grieving today, please know the sadness from the loss of your loved one is shared by your fellow West Virginians," department Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. "We must continue to support each other and work together as we face the months to come."
Of the 6,011 deaths since vaccines became available in December 2020, more than 83 percent were not fully vaccinated.
"It's easy to see that this is not going away," Gov. Jim Justice said during his Tuesday morning virus briefing.
Justice again encouraged residents to be careful of the virus.
"But it's not now for us to be running in total fear. It's something we should be very respectful of," the governor said. "It's something that all of us know we can control our destiny in many, many, many ways or dadgum near it with the vaccines and everything."
The latest variant of the omicron mutation, BA5, is growing among the new cases in West Virginia, Dr. Clay Marsh, coronavirus adviser for the state of West Virginia, said on Tuesday. The variant is more resilient to any immunity from previous COVID-19 infections, he said.
"We know that variant is increasing in West Virginia," Marsh said.
Active cases were at 2,745 statewide on Tuesday, 114 less than on Monday. The state also reported 834 cases were received since the last report on Monday.
Current active cases in local counties were (previous day): Calhoun 6 (6), Doddridge 3 (7), Gilmer 6 (9), Jackson 27 (20), Pleasants 15 (17), Ritchie 12 (15), Roane 29 (38), Tyler 10 (14), Wetzel 34 (35), Wirt 0 (0), Wood 130 (133).
Thirteen counties are green on the County Alert System Map, up from nine on Monday. Green is the lowest level of infection.
Tyler, Doddridge, Wirt and Jackson counties are green in this region. Wood, Pleasants, Ritchie, Wetzel, Roane, Calhoun and Gilmer are yellow, second lowest.
Mercer is the only gold county, mid level. No counties are red or orange, the highest infection spread alert levels.
Statewide, hospitalizations rose by six to 309 on Tuesday, with 148 of those unvaccinated. Thirty-five patients are in an intensive care unit, 10 unvaccinated, and 11 are on a ventilator, one unvaccinated.
A vaccinated person has received the initial one or two doses, depending on the type of vaccine. It does not take into account recommended booster doses,
Ten pediatric patients were reported, four of whom are in an ICU.