Covid cases still climbing in W.Va.

J. Damon Cain, The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.
·1 min read

Aug. 20—Covid-19 cases in West Virginia continued to climb on Friday with a reported 911 new cases, 8,806 active cases, seven deaths and a positive test rate of 9.26 percent.

Additionally, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) online database, there are now 18 counties in the state rated "red" — indicating the highest rates of infection and positive tests — on the color-coded map that measures the prevalence of the disease. On Thursday, there were 12.

In southern West Virginia, Wyoming and Nicholas counties remained in red while Fayette, Raleigh, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe and Greenbrier were all in orange, the color category with the second highest rate of infection and contagion. Summers County, which had been in yellow on Thursday, recorded a further deterioration of its Covid numbers, moving to gold.

The DHHR has confirmed seven more Covid-related deaths: a 73-year-old man from Harrison County, an 89-year-old man from Ohio County, a 76-year-old man from Wood County, a 74-year-old man from Upshur County, a 48-year-old man from Jefferson County, a 60-year-old man from Wetzel County and a 53-year-old woman from Wood County.

Active cases climbed 681 in the previous 24 hours, an 8.3 percent jump. Over the past week, the number has climbed from 5,100 last Friday, adding 3,706 more active cases — a 72.6 percent jump.

There have been 4,870 new cases over the past seven days along with 21 deaths, according to the DHHR online database.

Hospitalizations were up 19 patients to 447 with almost a third — 143, up by 12 — being intensive care unit cases. Patients on ventilator support were up by 9 to 57.