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CHARLESTON -- Thursday's pandemic update included five people from the region confirmed as deaths from the COVID-19 virus by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
The department also reported active cases were below 7,600, the lowest since around the end of December.
The state reported the deaths of a 65-year-old man from Ritchie County, a 51-year-old woman from Jackson County, a 74-year-old man from Wood County, a 74-year-old man from Jackson County and an 80-year-old woman from Jackson County.
As of Thursday, the death count is 307 in Wood County, 120 in Jackson County and 28 in Ritchie County.
Twenty-seven more residents have been added to the death count which is 5,966 people since the pandemic started more than two years ago.
Deaths also were confirmed in Morgan, Summers, Harrison, Monroe, Raleigh, Marshall, Kanawha, Berkeley, Monongalia, Cabell, Monongalia, Fayette, Monroe and Preston counties. The youngest were a 43-year-old woman from Fayette County, a 43-year-old man from Monroe County, a 44-year-old woman from Kanawha County and a 45-year-old woman from Monongalia County.
Condolences were expressed by DHHR Secretary Bill J. Crouch.
"With a heavy heart, we share this solemn news of more lives lost to this pandemic and extend our sympathies to the families affected," Crouch said. "Please schedule your COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot today to prevent further loss of life."
The state reported 7,589 active cases on Thursday, a drop of 750 from the 8,339 on Wednesday. Active cases have been on the decline, leading health officials to believe the omicron variant surge has plateaued.
The most active cases in the latest omicron surge was 21,717 on Jan. 22.
Active cases continue to fluctuate in local counties. Case counts are (previous day): Wood 281 (284); Wirt 27 (22); Wetzel 51 (72); Tyler 29 (39); Roane 61 (54); Ritchie 37 (23); Pleasants 14 (10); Jackson 45 (44); Gilmer 23 (23); Doddridge 30 (31); Calhoun 40 (28).
While active cases may have plateaued, hospitalizations remain in the 900 range across the state. Unvaccinated patients continue to be the majority of admissions.
The department reported 905 patients in hospitals, one less than Wednesday, with 612, or 67.6 percent unvaccinated, 209 patients in an intensive care unit with 162, or 77.5 percent unvaccinated, and 110 patients on a ventilator with 89, or 80.9 percent unvaccinated.
Twelve pediatric patients were reported with three in an ICU and three on a ventilator.
WVU Medicine Camden Clark reported 61 COVID patients in the hospital, 17 vaccinated, nine patients in ICU, three vaccinated, and seven patients on a ventilator, two vaccinated.
Hospitalizations peaked at 1,100 on Feb. 1.
Mingo County is the county that is red, the highest level of alert based on infection rates, on the County Alert System.
Most counties in the region are mid-level gold: Wood Wetzel, Tyler, Doddridge, Ritchie, Wirt and Roane counties.
Pleasants, Gilmer and Jackson counties are yellow, second lowest, and Calhoun is orange, second worst level.
Four counties in the state are green, lowest level on the alert map.