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CHARLESTON -- Active COVID-19 cases in West Virginia again exceeded 3,000 on Friday, the state Department of Health and Human Resources said.
The state reported 3,009 cases statewide, 167 more than on Thursday. Also reported was 861 new cases received between the Thursday and Friday morning pandemic updates.
Active cases, predominantly the BA.5 mutation, were last in the 3,000 range in mid-July. Previous peaks of active cases from other surges of the virus have exceeded 20,000.
Current active cases in local counties (previous day) were: Calhoun 4 (4), Doddridge 9 (9), Gilmer 8 (9), Jackson 28 (35), Pleasants 1 (2), Ritchie 14 (14), Roane 22 (19), Tyler 12 (9), Wetzel 11 (9), Wirt 22 (11) and Wood 145 (140).
Four counties are gold, up from three on Thursday, on the County Alert System Map based on infection rates. Wyoming, Monroe, Grant and Hardy are gold, mid level on the map.
Eight counties are green, lowest level, including Wetzel, Pleasants and Jackson counties in this region. All other counties are yellow, second lowest.
Four more deaths from the virus have been confirmed between Thursday and Friday, the department said. The death count since the pandemic started is 7,234.
The dead are an 82-year-old man from Summers County, an 80-year-old woman from Webster County, a 73-year-old woman from Monroe County and an 80-year-old woman from Grant County.
Department Secretary Bill Crouch encouraged vaccinations and booster shots.
"Good health must never be taken for granted," Crouch said. "As we comfort those who mourn today, I urge all West Virginians to stay up-to-date on their COVID vaccines and boosters."
Of the 6,139 state residents who have died since vaccinations started, about 83 percent were not fully vaccinated, the state said.
Hospital admissions statewide of COVID-19 patients were at 338 on Friday, a drop of 12 since Thursday. Of the 338, 202 are unvaccinated.
Fifty patients are in an intensive care unit, 29 unvaccinated, and 16 are on a ventilator, seven unvaccinated.
Ten pediatric patients with four in an ICU and one on a ventilator were reported.
Cases in long-term facilities were updated on Friday. The state reported 529 staff and 604 residents were infected.
Those included one resident case is at Stonerise Belmont in Pleasants County, four at Pine View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Ritchie County, eight at Roane General Hospital, 17 at the New Martinsville Center in Wetzel County, two at the Parkersburg Center, 10 at Stonerise Parkersburg, two at the Willows Center in Parkersburg and three at Worthington Healthcare Center in Parkersburg.
Inmate cases rose more than 20 from Thursday to Friday, according to the Division of Corrections. The Division reported 102 inmate cases and 51 staff cases.
Twenty-two cases are in the North Central Regional Jail in Doddridge County and two are in the St. Marys Correctional Center.
Tyler County moved to "low" on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Community Levels metric, calculated weekly and released on Thursdays. In counties rated low, residents are advised to stay up to date with vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms, but masks are only recommended on public transportation, if an individual has symptoms or if someone has been exposed to a person with COVID-19.
Tyler had been classified as "medium," in which people at greater risk of severe illness are advised to consult with their health care provider about masking. Wetzel remained there this week and was joined by Calhoun and Pleasants counties.
They dropped from "high," where people are advised to wear masks in indoor, public places. Wood and other Mid-Ohio Valley counties remained on high.