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Baby girl among new West Virginia COVID deaths

CHARLESTON — A 3-month-old baby girl from Kanawha County is the youngest fatality from the COVID-19 coronavirus in West Virginia, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources.

The child was among the three confirmed deaths reported Wednesday morning by the department. The three additional deaths from the virus raise the death toll since the pandemic began three years ago to 7,852 residents in West Virginia.

In addition to the baby, the state reported the death of a 44-year-old man from Kanawha County and an 84-year-old man from Greenbrier County.

“While all COVID deaths are tragic, today’s report which includes an infant is especially heartbreaking,” Dr. Jeffrey H. Coben, interim secretary of the DHHR, said. “The best we can do for our friends and loved ones is to continue to stay current on vaccines and encourage them to do the same.”

Statewide active cases have been fluctuating. The department reported 836 cases Wednesday morning, six fewer than on Tuesday.

Current active cases in local counties are (previous day): Calhoun 1 (0), Doddridge 1 (3), Gilmer 0 (0), Jackson 11 (9), Pleasants 1 (2), Ritchie 5 (3), Roane 4 (5), Tyler 0 (1), Wetzel 4 (4), Wirt 1 (1), Wood 23 (24)

Nine counties in the state are yellow, second lowest, on the County Alert System Map. One of the nine is Ritchie County.

All other counties in the state are green, the lowest level in the five-tier system based on infection rates and percent positivity.

The state reported 247 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 complications, of which 37 are in an intensive care unit and 11 are on a ventilator.

Seven pediatric cases were reported with one in an ICU.

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