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COVID-19 Numbers Start To Slow Down in West Virginia

By From Staff Reports 2 min read
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. (NIAID-RML via AP)

January was the deadliest month for West Virginia for COVID-19, while new numbers show that infections, hospitalizations, and deaths seem to be slowing down.

According to data from the Department of Health and Human Resources, 686 West Virginians died from the coronavirus in January, beating December's total of 603 deaths by 14 percent. As of Jan. 31, the state lost 2,028 residents to COVID-19.

Yet there are signs that deaths may have peaked. There were 248 deaths reported between Jan. 18 and Jan. 31 -- a 38-percent decrease from the 400 deaths reported the previous 14 days. January marked the first time that COVID-19 cases decreased in the state.

The month saw 33,051 cases, a 16-percent decrease from December's peak of 39,279 cases. Active COVID-19 cases -- the number of infected people in self-quarantine or hospitalized -- was 20,165 cases as of Monday -- a 17 percent decrease from 24,365 active cases seven days ago and a 31 percent decrease from a peak of 29,257 active cases on Jan. 10.

There were 438 hospitalizations as of Monday, down from 597 hospitalizations the previous week -- a 27-percent decrease. The number of infected people in intensive care units was 118 -- down from 151 last week -- and 48 people are on ventilators -- down from 63 last week.

The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department announced 14 new positive COVID cases in its Monday night update, which brought the county's totals to 3,568 cases and 62 deaths since the pandemic began.

The Marshall County Health Department reported 24 new confirmed positive cases and 15 probable cases in its Monday night update. That brings that county's totals to 2,201 confirmed cases, 583 probable cases, five hospitalizations and 58 associated deaths.

Marshall County was red, the highest-risk category, on Monday's DHHR COVID-19 alert map. The Northern Panhandle's other three counties -- Hancock, Brooke and Ohio -- all were orange, one level better than Marshall County.

In Ohio, the Belmont County Health Department on Monday reported 4,979 cases since the onset of the pandemic, with 776 isolated with active cases. There have been 4,062 recoveries, 51 people are hospitalized and 90 people have died.

Starting at /week.