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State reports 4 more deaths from COVID

CHARLESTON — Four more deaths from COVID-19 complications have been reported by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.

The state reported the deaths of a 74-year-old man from Wetzel County, an 80-year-old woman from Mason County, a 75-year-old man from Hardy County and an 89-year-old woman from Berkeley County on Friday.

About 86 percent of the deaths that have occurred since vaccines became available in December 2020, 5,736, are unvaccinated residents, according to the state.

The death toll since the pandemic started in West Virginia more than two years ago was at 6,835 residents as of Friday.

Department Secretary Bill Crouch urged residents to get vaccinated and get booster shots.

“As West Virginians, we must not tire of preventive measures that ensure the health and safety of our friends, family and neighbors,” he said.

Active cases in West Virginia as of Friday were at 376 with 95 new cases received in the 24 hours from Thursday to Friday morning. While active cases are about 20 higher than Thursday, case numbers have not been this low since the early days of the pandemic in 2020.

Active cases in local counties on Friday were Randolph (7), Upshur (9), Barbour (3), Tucker (1) and Pocahontas (2), according to the DHHR.

The state reported 148 patients are in a hospital, 86 of those unvaccinated. Forty-two patients are in an intensive care unit with 26 of those unvaccinated. Eighteen patients are on a ventilator, nine unvaccinated.

Three pediatric patients with one in an ICU were reported.

All counties are green on the County Alert System Map — the lowest level of virus spread.

One staff and six inmate active cases were reported by the Division of Corrections.

Fifty-eight staff and 73 residents of long-term care facilities are infected, the state said.

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