Virus spread easing but West Virginia’s COVID-19 deaths continue | News, Sports, Jobs

CHARLESTON — West Virginia’s County Alert System Map continues to lighten, but the state reported another 21 deaths attributed to COVID-19 Monday.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources confirmed the deaths of three Wood County women, ages 86, 69 and 56, as well as a 57-year-old man from Wetzel County. The youngest death reported was a 50-year-old man from Mingo County, while the oldest were two 90-year-olds, a woman from Kanawha County and a man from Raleigh County.

“As we share this sad news, we pause to remember each West Virginian lost,” said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR cabinet secretary. “Protect your loved ones by scheduling a COVID vaccine or booster.”

The County Alert map measures the spread of the virus by the lower of two metrics — the rate of new cases in a one- or two-week period, depending on population, or the percentage of positive tests.

As on Friday, there were no counties marked red Monday, indicating the highest level of spread. Just two, McDowell and Webster, were orange, the second-highest category.

In the Mid-Ohio Valley, Gilmer and Jackson counties joined Calhoun, Pleasants, Tyler and Wirt are green, the lowest level. Wood and Wetzel County remained yellow, the second-lowest, while Roane moved up from yellow to gold, the middle of the scale, along with Doddridge and Ritchie counties.

Active cases in area counties Monday (Friday) were: Calhoun, 14 (10); Doddridge, 26 (27); Gilmer, 12 (23); Jackson, 27 (38); Pleasants, 13 (15); Ritchie, 36 (28); Roane, 43 (42); Tyler, 14 (12); Wetzel, 28 (39); Wirt, 10 (9); Wood, 199 (177).

There were 645 people in West Virginia hospitals with COVID-19 on Monday, 63.3 percent of them unvaccinated, according to DHHR’s numbers. COVID patients in intensive care units totaled 152, 79.6 percent unvaccinated, and there were 80 on ventilators, 88.8 percent unvaccinated. Fifteen children were hospitalized, four in an ICU and wo on ventilators.

West Virginians age 5 and older are eligible for vaccinations, with booster shots available for those 12 and up. More information is available online at vaccinate.wv.gov or by calling 1-833-734-0965.

Information about free COVID testing can be found at https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx.