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From staff reports
CHARLESTON -- COVID-19 hospitalizations in West Virginia climbed to 399, according to Tuesday's update from the state Department of Health and Human Resources.
That's 101 shy of what state officials project as the limit on hospital capacity, compared to 800 during the delta and prior omicron surges due to staffing and other issues. The total was 371 on Monday.
Of those hospitalized with the virus, 207 were listed as unvaccinated. There were 61 patients in intensive care units, down from 66 the day before, with 35 unvaccinated. Fifteen were on ventilators, eight classified as vaccinated, meaning they received both initial doses of the Pfizer or Moderna shots or the single Johnson and Johnson dose. It does not account for recommended boosters.
The DHHR also reported 12 pediatric COVID hospitalizations, with six in the ICU and one on a ventilator.
During Gov. Jim Justice's online briefing Tuesday, Dr. Clay Marsh, the state's coronavirus czar, said that even though the BA.5 omicron variant surge seems to be plateauing at the national level, those hospitalization numbers are a reminder that "we are not finished with COVID yet."
Marsh noted that Pfizer and Moderna are beginning trials of vaccines aimed more specifically at the omicron variant, expected to be available this fall. But he urged people not to wait to get their boosters.
"Getting up to date with our vaccinations is really the most important protection that we can offer each other, offer ourselves, and have the highest benefit of avoiding severe illness and hospitalization," Marsh said.
Active cases remained steady at 3,066. The total was 3,057 on Monday.
Active cases in local counties Tuesday (Monday) were: Calhoun, 4 (4); Doddridge, 4 (5); Gilmer, 11 (10); Jackson, 25 (31); Pleasants, 9 (7); Ritchie, 20 (18); Roane, 24 (31); Tyler, 12 (12); Wetzel, 26 (26); Wirt, 9 (8); Wood, 206 (223).
On the County Alert System map, most of the state was yellow, the second-lowest of five categories measuring the spread of the virus. Four were gold, the middle of the scale, while 10 were green, the lowest level. Among those were Calhoun, Doddridge, Jackson and Pleasants, with the rest of the Mid-Ohio Valley yellow.