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Staff Report
CHARLESTON -- Statewide COVID-19 cases again slightly declined between Monday and Tuesday while the third death in a week of someone in their 40s has been confirmed in West Virginia, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources.
Active cases were 1,782 on Tuesday, down 68 from 1,850 on Monday. The state also reported 442 new cases were received in the 24-hour period between the Monday and Tuesday morning pandemic updates from the department.
Cases have been on a downward trend for about a week. Dr. Clay Marsh, state coronavirus adviser, last week said the state may have passed the peak in the latest omicron BA.5 variant surge.
The low point in active cases was less than 300 in the first week of April. More than 15,000 active cases were reported the first week of January.
Active cases in local counties on Tuesday (previous report) were: Calhoun 6 (12), Doddridge 4 (5), Gilmer 5 (7), Jackson 13 (15), Pleasants 0 (1), Ritchie 8 (9), Roane 10 (18), Wetzel 7 (7), Wirt 23 (22), Wood 66 (65).
Across the state, 21 counties are green, the lowest level, on the County Alert System Map. Eighteen counties were green on Monday.
In this region, Wetzel, Pleasants, Jackson, Roane, Wirt and Gilmer counties are green. Wood, Tyler, Calhoun and Ritchie are yellow, second lowest level.
Wyoming remains the only gold, mid-level, county.
With three more confirmed on Tuesday, the number of deaths attributed to the virus since the pandemic began was 7,370. The state has confirmed the deaths of an 88-year-old man from Berkeley County, a 70-year-old man from Grant County and a 46-year-old man from Marshall County.
The Marshall County fatality was the third death of a person under 50 in the past week. A 43-year-old man from Mercer County was listed on Monday and a 42-year-old woman was confirmed on Sept. 14.
"The loss of West Virginians weighs heavily on all of us, with the greatest sadness borne by family and friends," department Secretary Bill J. Crouch said. "We must keep the health of our neighbors and friends in mind through vaccination and booster shots."
Residents 6 months and older are eligible for a vaccination. The state recommends the primary series of vaccination and all boosters.
The latest omicron booster shot (bivalent) is recommended for those 12 and older who are at least two months after completing their primary series.
The free online West Virginia COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator determines when someone may be due for a shot. More information about vaccines is at vaccines.gov, vaccinate.wv.gov, or by calling 1-833-734-0965.
COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped by nine from Monday to Tuesday. The state reported 289 residents were in the hospital with 43 in an intensive care unit and 15 on ventilators, also fewer than were reported on Monday. Four pediatric cases with two in an ICU were reported.