The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced Saturday that record number of new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the Mountain State.
The DHHR reported 347 new cases statewide Saturday. The previous high mark was 262 on July 22.
Two new cases were reported in Upshur County — and one was removed — meaning the county will likely remain yellow when the weekly map update is released Saturday at 5 p.m.
Statewide, Monongalia County remains red, while Pocahontas, Kanawha, Cabell, Calhoun, Ohio, Monroe, Putnam, Fayette, Wayne, Boone, Logan and Mingo counties are orange.
Due to the large population in several of those counties, if those colors hold through the 5 p.m. map update, large swaths of the state will be not be able to attend school next week due to the surge in cases, including students in Charleston, Morgantown, Huntington and Wheeling.
West Virginia still has the highest rate of spread in the nation, by far, a spot it has held most of the week. Gov. Jim Justice hinted Friday that additional shutdown orders will be coming soon if communities cannot limit the spread of the virus.
Two additional deaths have been attributed to the disease, according to the DHHR – a 90-year old female from Jackson County and a 74-year old male from Marion County.
“The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reports as of 10 a.m., on September 12, 2020, there have been 478,580 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 12,521 total cases and 265 deaths,” according to a press release.
New cases were reported Saturday in Berkeley, Boone, Cabell, Calhoun, Doddridge, Fayette, Hampshire, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, McDowell, Mercer, Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Roane, Summers, Taylor, Upshur, Wayne, Wood and Wyoming counties.
About 3,031 West Virginia cases remain active, according DHHR data. Of the cases that are no longer active, 9,225 people have recovered and 265 have died. The daily percent positive was 4.59%.
CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (35), Berkeley (866), Boone (176), Braxton (9), Brooke (104), Cabell (647), Calhoun (22), Clay (30), Doddridge (17), Fayette (450), Gilmer (19), Grant (147), Greenbrier (114), Hampshire (95), Hancock (137), Hardy (75), Harrison (318), Jackson (226), Jefferson (401), Kanawha (1934), Lewis (37), Lincoln (137), Logan (537), Marion (240), Marshall (138), Mason (124), McDowell (79), Mercer (373), Mineral (149), Mingo (297), Monongalia (1661), Monroe (143), Morgan (44), Nicholas (64), Ohio (325), Pendleton (46), Pleasants (15), Pocahontas (56), Preston (142), Putnam (393), Raleigh (412), Randolph (230), Ritchie (9), Roane (39), Summers (28), Taylor (113), Tucker (15), Tyler (15), Upshur (58), Wayne (313), Webster (7), Wetzel (46), Wirt (8), Wood (330), Wyoming (76).
