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Coronavirus

Local health officials prep for vaccine

ELKINS — A local hospital has received a special freezer in preparation for storing a COVID-19 vaccine, officials said Monday. Due to Thanksgiving gatherings last week, another spike in already high COVID-19 numbers is expected in days to come and state and local officials are pleading with the public to do their part when it comes to helping prevent the spread of the virus. Statewide active cases have climbed from 13,678 last week to 16,787 this week, and according to the Department of Health and Human Resources website, there have been 845 new cases in the last 24 hours, and ...

Justice calls for limits on elective surgeries as COVID-19 surges

CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice said Monday that after conversations with major hospital leaders and the West Virginia Hospital Association, elective surgeries will be limited due to shrinking bed capacity at state hospitals. Justice made the announcement Monday during his COVID-19 ...

Cases projected to increase in December

CHARLESTON — With the Thanksgiving holiday expected to bring together groups of family and friends despite pleas to limit gatherings, state officials worry about the continue rise of COVID-19 infections. According to the Department of Health and Human Resources, the state saw 967 new COVID-19 cases received in a 24-hour period between Wednesday and Tuesday, bringing the current number of active cases to 14,283 - a 4 percent increase from active case numbers reported Monday. Hospitalizations due to the coronavirus have continued tom climb, straining resources at state hospitals. ...

W.Va. may receive vaccine within weeks

CHARLESTON — As the possibility of as many as three COVID-19 vaccines being given the green light by federal regulators becomes closer to reality, state officials released additional information on how those vaccines would be distributed. Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday the state could receive the first delivery of vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech between Dec. 10 and Dec. 12, while the first delivery of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine will be delivered shortly after that. “We’ve got this down pat, and we’ll be getting this out,” Justice said. “We just hope and pray that ...

Federal judge upholds state mask mandate

CHARLESTON — In his fifth court victory challenging his executive order authority during a pandemic state of emergency, a federal judge ruled Monday that Gov. Jim Justice’s mask mandate was reasonable. All while Morgantown bar owners appeal a similar ruling. U.S. District Judge Robert Chambers released his written opinion order Tuesday evening in a case brought before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia by Andrew and Ashley Stewart, owners of Bridge Cafe and Bistro in Putnam County, denying their motion for a preliminary injunction against Justice’s ...

Special Delivery

PHILIPPI — A Virginia teenager who has been honored at the White House for providing supplies to hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic personally flew in boxes of personal protective equipment for Broaddus Hospital on Tuesday. The efforts of T.J. Kim, a 16-year old from McLean, ...