Holiday COVID cases continue to rise

Dec. 28—Although no COVID-related deaths have been reported in West Virginia since Dec. 16, state leaders are concerned about rising cases and hospitalizations.

"Active cases are still significant," Gov. Jim Justice said during his pandemic briefing Tuesday, referring to more than 1,000 active cases and 17 counties, including Mercer and Monroe, in the yellow on the County Alert System map.

Justice said the active case number is most likely an undercount because of home testing since those results are not reported.

"This thing is not gone," he said. "But we can live with it through our boosters and vaccines. We are finding a way to live with this."

The number of COVID hospitalizations is rising, up to 264 on Tuesday with 34 in ICUs and 11 on ventilators.

Retired Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, director of the Joint InterAgency Task Force, said the state is "managing COVID as best we can" and has been "very fortunate" that no more deaths have occurred.

"That is a good sign that we are managing it and our hospitals and healthcare providers are doing a great job when people do get COVID," he said.

Hoyer said the Task Force works with the state Hospital Association and other healthcare groups to closely monitor cases and hospitalizations to make sure everyone is ready for challenges that may emerge.

Right now, it is manageable, he said.

"We are in constant communication with the Hospital Association" as well as county health departments and community health centers, he added.

But Hoyer said the current surge in hospitalizations show a different trend in the ages of patients.

The vast majority of patients have been 65 years and older, he said, but now many more people between 50 and 59 are being hospitalized.

"If you are in that age 50 and above, especially 50 to 59, based on the data we see, get that Omicron booster, get that extra protection," Hoyer said.

People who are sick should also be tested for COVID, he added, and take advantage of available treatments.

A post-Thanksgiving increase in cases was seen and another post-Christmas/New Year's rise in cases and hospitalizations is also a predicted as social gatherings continue.

In Mercer County, 96 new COVID cases were reported during the previous seven day after falling into the 20s prior to Thanksgiving.

Monroe County saw 34 new cases last week after dropping into single digits before the start of the holiday season.

Justice once again urged residents, especially those 50 and older, to get the Omicron booster, and he said all residents should get a flu shot.

— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com

Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com