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Officials urge caution as new COVID-19 cases start to tick up in West Virginia

Brian Bergstrom
March 18, 2021

West Virginia’s governor and other state health officials are asking residents to remain vigilant as the number of new COVID-19 cases in the state has started to increase after declining for nearly two months.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced Thursday that 382 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the Mountain State, the highest daily increase in more than three weeks.

“Let’s hope and pray our numbers continue to go downhill,” Gov. Jim Justice said in his virtual press briefing Wednesday. “But I warn you: don’t fall asleep at the switch … One robin doesn’t make spring. We know this thing can whip back around on us, so we all need to stay careful.”

Locally, new cases were reported in Upshur (2), Barbour (3), Randolph (4) and Webster (11) counties.

A total of 26 cases are currently active in Upshur County, according to the DHHR.

Five additional deaths have been attributed to the disease, according to the DHHR – a 57-year old female from Jefferson County, a 54-year old female from Boone County, an 81-year old male from Webster County, a 95-year old female from Hancock County, and a 50-year old male from Brooke County.

“The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of March 18, 2021, there have been 2,330,287 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 136,716 total cases and 2,570 total deaths,” according to a press release.

About 5,301 West Virginia cases remain active, according DHHR data. Of the cases that are no longer active, 128,845 people have recovered and 2,570 have died. The daily percent positive was 3.78%.

A total of 252,246 people have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in West Virginia, meaning they have received both doses of the vaccine, the DHHR said.

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,296), Berkeley (10,143), Boone (1,657), Braxton (799), Brooke (2,042), Cabell (8,132), Calhoun (237), Clay (385), Doddridge (495), Fayette (2,829), Gilmer (724), Grant (1,142), Greenbrier (2,452), Hampshire (1,574), Hancock (2,601), Hardy (1,337), Harrison (4,997), Jackson (1,705), Jefferson (3,770), Kanawha (12,504), Lewis (1,069), Lincoln (1,303), Logan (2,858), Marion (3,822), Marshall (3,124), Mason (1,825), McDowell (1,393), Mercer (4,313), Mineral (2,610), Mingo (2,222), Monongalia (8,376), Monroe (994), Morgan (953), Nicholas (1,294), Ohio (3,728), Pendleton (630), Pleasants (814), Pocahontas (602), Preston (2,645), Putnam (4,383), Raleigh (5,049), Randolph (2,430), Ritchie (633), Roane (510), Summers (708), Taylor (1,115), Tucker (510), Tyler (644), Upshur (1,732), Wayne (2,649), Webster (405), Wetzel (1,127), Wirt (364), Wood (7,280), Wyoming (1,781).