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CHARLESTON -- Distribution of the booster vaccines targeting the latest omicron BA.5 strain will begin after Labor Day in West Virginia, a state official said Monday.
The state initially will order around 50,000 doses, its authorized amount, James Hoyer, the head of the interagency task force on vaccines, said during the governor's pandemic briefing on Monday morning.
The Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration will meet for approval of the booster vaccines Sept. 1 and 2, he said.
"We're going to be focusing on long-term care, assisted living, and West Virginians over the age of 65," Hoyer said. "We will also be engaged in working to get those updated boosters to health care workers, first responders and those on the front lines."
Hospitalizations rose by 29 from Friday to 328 on Monday. Fifty-seven patients were in an intensive care unit and 12 were unvaccinated, the Department of Health and Human Resources said.
Sixteen pediatric cases were reported with seven in an ICU and one on a ventilator.
West Virginia case numbers will shortly plateau, based on indications from around the country, Dr. Clay Marsh, coronavirus adviser for the state of West Virginia, said.
However, cases are expected to rise with the increase in activities on Labor Day, Hoyer said.
"We'll certainly see a surge going forward," Hoyer said.
Active COVID-19 cases remained around 3,100 on Monday, the DHHR reported in its Monday update.
The department reported 3,120 active cases, down from 3,187 on Friday. Another 2,162 new cases of the virus have been received since the last pandemic report on Friday, the department said.
Twelve counties are green on the County Alert System Map, representing the lowest level of spread and infection rates. Five counties are gold, mid-level, and the remainder of the 55 counties are yellow, second lowest.
In this region, Tyler, Pleasants, Wirt and Jackson counties are green.
Current active cases in local counties (previous report) were: Calhoun 7 (12), Doddridge 7 (5), Gilmer 9 (17), Jackson 28 (40), Pleasants 8 (5), Ritchie 14 (12), Roane 23 (17), Tyler 10 (8), Wetzel 27 (19), Wirt 3 (4) and Wood 162 (167).
Six deaths have been reported since the Friday update. The total was at 7,274 deaths since the pandemic started.
The department has confirmed the deaths of an 89-year-old man from McDowell County, a 38-year-old man from Cabell County, a 58-year-old woman from Mingo County, an 86-year-old man from Kanawha County, an 81-year-old woman from Upshur County and a 73-year-old woman from Mercer County.
"As we comfort those who are mourning the loss of a loved one today, we remember all West Virginians who have lost loved ones due to COVID-19," department Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. "Please do not delay scheduling your vaccine or booster shot."
Fifty-two staff and 153 inmates are infected, the Division of Corrections said. Eight cases are at North Central Regional Jail, two are at the St. Marys Correctional Center and two are at Parkersburg Community Corrections.