COVID-19 responsible for 10 more deaths in West Virginia; state toll at 290

CHARLESTON — Four Kanawha County residents are among 10 West Virginians who died in the past 24 hours due to the coronavirus, according to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.

DHHR confirmed the deaths of a 96-year old woman, 70-year-old woman, a 83-year-old man and a 93-year-old man all from Kanawha County, died between Tuesday and Wednesday’s DHHR COVID-19 report. Other deaths include an 80-year old woman from Wood County, a 79-year old woman from Boone County, a 73-year old woman from Mason County, an 89-year old woman from Mingo County, an 88-year old woman from Mason County and an 84-year old woman from Logan County. There have been 290 COVID-19 deaths in West Virginia, according to DHHR.

“Today’s reporting of ten West Virginians is a painful reminder of the continuing threat of COVID-19,” said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR cabinet secretary. “We extend our sympathy to the families impacted by these deaths.”

As of 10 a.m., Sept. 16, there have been 493,568 total confirmed laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 13,196 total cases and 290 deaths. Locally, Harrison County has 324 residents test positive since testing began in March. Marion County has 246 residents test positive for COVID-19 in the same timeframe and Monongalia County has recorded 1,768 positive test results.

Tuesday evening, officials with the Harrison County Schools said there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Simpson Elementary School involving one student and one staff member. The press release from Superintendent of Schools Dora L. Stutler did not specify whether the staff member was a teacher or other school employee.

Stutler ordered the school closed Wednesday for deep cleaning and plans to reopen the school on Thursday.

“The confirmed cases are believed to have resulted from outside of school and not from infection transmissions from within the school,” states the press release.

There are 3,235 active cases of COVID-19 statewide, according to DHHR and a total of 220 new cases were recorded from Tuesday to Wednesday’s report. Currently, the daily positive percent rate is at 5.61%.

Cases per county: Barbour (39), Berkeley (911), Boone (185), Braxton (10), Brooke (105), Cabell (677), Calhoun (22), Clay (32), Doddridge (17), Fayette (492), Gilmer (19), Grant (150), Greenbrier (116), Hampshire (97), Hancock (139), Hardy (75), Harrison (324), Jackson (235), Jefferson (410), Kanawha (2,083), Lewis (38), Lincoln (145), Logan (555), Marion (246), Marshall (145), Mason (129), McDowell (79), Mercer (384), Mineral (154), Mingo (324), Monongalia (1,768), Monroe (144), Morgan (45), Nicholas (75), Ohio (340), Pendleton (48), Pleasants (15), Pocahontas (58), Preston (143), Putnam (441), Raleigh (449), Randolph (231), Ritchie (10), Roane (42), Summers (31), Taylor (115), Tucker (16), Tyler (15), Upshur (60), Wayne (325), Webster (7), Wetzel (47), Wirt (9), Wood (342), Wyoming (83).

DHHR officials and local county health departments continue to verify the addresses for those who test positive as individuals cross a county or state line to be tested.