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CHARLESTON -- Active COVID-19 cases edged upward in West Virginia on Thursday, with no deaths reported for the second consecutive day.
There were 1,025 new cases reported between Wednesday and Thursday's updates from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. With other cases going off of active status, the new total Thursday was 2,764, up from 2,640 the previous day.
Active case totals in local counties Thursday (Wednesday) were: Calhoun, 7 (7); Doddridge, 12 (9); Gilmer, 15 (10); Jackson, 25 (22); Pleasants, 14 (10); Ritchie, 13 (13); Roane, 52 (60); Tyler, 11 (16); Wetzel, 44 (35); Wirt, 5 (6); Wood, 101 (92).
Roane County remained gold on the County Alert System map and was joined by Wetzel County at that level, which is the middle of the scale. The colors are based on the infection rate of new cases per 100,000 people or percentage of tests coming back positive in the previous seven days, whichever is lower.
After a day on the lowest level of green, Wood County was back at yellow, the second-lowest category, along with Doddridge, Gilmer, Pleasants, Ritchie and Tyler counties. Calhoun, Jackson and Wirt counties were green.
Statewide there were four gold, 37 yellow and 14 green counties.
Most area counties remained high on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Community Level index, although Doddridge, Jackson and Pleasants moved to medium, as did Washington County in Ohio.
The CDC recommends that people in counties classified as "high" wear masks in indoor, public spaces. In counties labeled "medium," people at increased risk of severe illness are advised to consult with their health care provider about what precautions to take.
Hospitalizations with COVID statewide decreased from 328 to 317, although the number of COVID patients in intensive care units rose from 46 to 50. There were 10 patients on ventilators compared to 11 the day before. DHHR reported nine pediatric hospitalizations, with one in ICU and one on a ventilator.