Seven new COVID-19 deaths reported in West Virginia on Tuesday

Brian Bergstrom
August 4, 2020

A deadly surge in COVID-19 cases continued on Tuesday as the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resource announced that seven more people had died to the disease.

The deaths included a 70-year old male from Preston County, a 55-year old female from Taylor County, a 68-year old female from Kanawha County, a 73-year old male from Ohio County, a 92-year old male from Grant County, a 43-year old male from Mingo County and a 91-year old male from Wood County.

The increase in new deaths — 24 in the last two weeks — comes after active cases more than tripled in July. Since the conclusion of Gov. Jim Justice’s reopening plan — dubbed “The Comeback” — active cases have risen from 540 on June 30 to 1,865 currently.

“Each death reported is a solemn reminder of the seriousness of this disease. We send our deepest sympathy to these families,” said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary, in a press release.

Justice has said a significant announcement regarding schools will be made during his press briefing Wednesday. He has already pushed the start date back to Sept. 8.

The governor also indicated he was thinking about a mandatory quarantine for people entering the state from other areas. He previously implemented a mandatory mask policy indoors, but without any enforcement mechanism.

In total, DHHR announced Tuesday that 78 new cases of COVID-19 had been identified in the Mountain State.

“The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reports as of 10 a.m. on August 4, 2020, there have been 298,290 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 7,051 total cases and 124 deaths,” according to a press release.

The probable case reported by the Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department last week was finally included in the DHHR update Tuesday. Upshur County currently has a total of 39 cases — 36 confirmed and three probable. Of those, 36 have recovered and three are active, according to the DHHR.

Statewide, new cases were reported Tuesday in Berkeley, Boone, Cabell, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Preston, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Upshur and Wood counties.

About 1,865 West Virginia cases remain active, according DHHR data. Of the cases that are no longer active, 5,062 people have recovered and 124 have died. The daily percent positive was 2.41%.

CASES PER COUNTY (Case confirmed by lab test/Probable case): Barbour (29/0), Berkeley (637/24), Boone (88/0), Braxton (8/0), Brooke (60/1), Cabell (341/9), Calhoun (6/0), Clay (17/1), Doddridge (4/0), Fayette (131/0), Gilmer (16/0), Grant (80/1), Greenbrier (87/0), Hampshire (74/0), Hancock (100/4), Hardy (53/1), Harrison (198/1), Jackson (158/0), Jefferson (287/5), Kanawha (835/13), Lewis (26/1), Lincoln (68/1), Logan (157/0), Marion (174/4), Marshall (126/3), Mason (50/0), McDowell (45/1), Mercer (167/0), Mineral (112/2), Mingo (142/2), Monongalia (913/16), Monroe (18/1), Morgan (25/1), Nicholas (32/1), Ohio (259/1), Pendleton (40/1), Pleasants (7/1), Pocahontas (40/1), Preston (102/23), Putnam (173/1), Raleigh (191/7), Randolph (203/3), Ritchie (3/0), Roane (14/0), Summers (6/0), Taylor (52/1), Tucker (11/0), Tyler (12/0), Upshur (36/3), Wayne (189/2), Webster (3/0), Wetzel (40/0), Wirt (6/0), Wood (228/12), Wyoming (23/0).