State officials say active COVID cases top 2,000 once again

May 20—Active COVID cases in West Virginia have once again crossed the 2,000 mark as new cases keep being reported, and that number may not accurately reflect the spread.

Gov. Jim Justice said during his pandemic briefing Thursday 860 new cases were reported in a 24-hour period and most likely there are many more.

"We have all the home test kits," he said, and since those results are most likely not reported, the actual number is not known.

"This stuff is not going away," he said of COVID.

Dr. Clay Marsh, state COVID-19 Czar, said new forms of the Omicron variant are spreading, with the BA.2.12.1 variant now becoming the most common form in the U.S. and in West Virginia.

The problem, he said, is that as the variants mutate they become more infectious, and people can contract it more than once.

Although the new variants do not have the severe impact of the originals on most people, those 50 and over remain the most vulnerable.

Marsh said 95 percent of deaths in West Virginia and across the country have been in the 50 and over population.

Both Marsh and Justice once again emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated and boosted.

"This stuff is not going to go away easily, but it's something we can live with if we are all properly vaccinated," Justice said. "You have a lot of smart people — medical experts — telling you to get yourself and your family properly vaccinated and boosted. I'm begging you to heed their advice."

Justice also said the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved a Pfizer booster shot for ages 5 to 11, pending the okay from the CDC.

However, Marsh said only 30 percent of that age group in the state has had at least one vaccination and only 33 percent nationwide.

All of this comes as the U.S. now has seen the COVD death toll surpass 1 million, with more than 6,900 deaths in West Virginia.

On another topic, Justice said First Lady Cathy Justice is hosting a West Virginia Birthday Cake Contest in honor of the state's 159th birthday.

Residents are invited to create and submit an original cake recipe. One recipe will be chosen and designated the "official" West Virginia birthday cake, served every year on June 20 to celebrate statehood.

Recipes sent in will be reviewed by several, including chefs at the Greenbrier and the five most interesting recipes will be chosen.

At that point, each of the five people who submitted the recipe will be contacted and asked to bake the cake and each cake will be judged for the best by both Justices, chefs and "maybe Babydog."

The recipe should use ingredients and methods that remind participants of West Virginia. Recipe submissions must include:

—List of cake ingredients

—Steps to make the cake batter

—List of ingredients for icing/glaze

—Steps to make the cake icing or glaze

In addition, participants may suggest special toppings or decorations for their cake, give details about their recipe, and tell why it is the best cake to be designated West Virginia's "official" birthday cake.

One grand prize winner will be selected and other prizes will be awarded during the West Virginia Birthday celebration on June 20th.

Participants must enter online here: Birthday Cake Contest Entry

The deadline for submissions is June 7.

— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com