CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The recent significant increase in COVID-19 cases in West Virginia has impacted middle-aged residents, officials said at Wednesday’s coronavirus media briefing at the state capitol.
The state now has 11,172 active cases. It added another 953 cases Wednesday. State Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh has taken a look at the ages of those getting sick.
“We’re seeing a rise in people who are 30 to 49-years-old getting COVID infection and we’re also seeing a rise in people that are 50 to 64-years-old,” Marsh said.
He said state residents need to be extra cautious because it’s those age groups that usually have more contact with elderly residents.
“Increases in these populations generally precede increases in older people because in many ways these are the ages of children of those who are older and most vulnerable,” Marsh said.
The state has now recorded 612 COVID-19 deaths including 14 Wednesday. Major General Jim Hoyer, the state’s Adjutant General, said Wednesday the state is now averaging four deaths a day with the average age of 77. He said the increase in overall cases in recent weeks have been significant.
“Forty-two percent of our cases have come in the last 30 days,” Hoyer said.
More Restrictions?
Gov. Jim Justice continued to back away from additional restrictions during his remarks at Wednesday’s briefing. Justice signed a handful of executive orders last Friday, one of them beefed up his previous mask wearing mandate. Justice said Wednesday both at his briefing and earlier on MetroNews “Talkline” he believes the mask mandate will produce results.
Justice did say Wednesday he wouldn’t be against calling the legislature into special session if there was a groundswell of public support for adding criminal charges for failure to wear masks in public buildings.
“I don’t want us to pit neighbor against neighbor in any way but at the same time, we need to let our voices at least be heard to our legislature, to us in the governor’s office. We need to be absolutely covered up with calls saying, ‘Please, please do the right thing,'” Justice said.
Hospital surge preparations
Members of Justice’s coraonvirus task force said once again Wednesday they are keeping an eye on hospital capacity across the state but things are not yet at a breaking point.
Hospitalizations statewide were listed at a pandemic-high 429 Wednesday with 126 patients in ICU. State Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch said the state has two surge hospitals ready to go including St. Francis Hospital in Charleston and the Fairmont Regional Medical Center now operated by WVU Medicine.
“We are currently staffed for 30 beds (at St. Francis). We can go up to 60 beds and we could go up a little higher if we had to do that,” Crouch said. “We’re preparing and have been preparing for a surge.”
Wheeling Hospital CEO Douglass Harrison released a statement Wednesday saying his hospital is currently at 75% capacity with the ICU at 72% capacity.
“We have opened additional negative pressure rooms in the hospital to isolate suspected COVID patients as well. We are managing, but it is stressful. The biggest concern is staffing. Many employees are either out with COVID or are quarantined due to potential exposure. The next several weeks will certainly be a trying time for all health care entities, not just Wheeling Hospital. I would urge the community to be very cautious this holiday season about large gatherings,” Harrison said. “Try to limit gatherings to people within your household or with immediate family. Please wear a mask, wash your hands and practice social distancing of at least 6 feet apart. If the community can do its part in helping stop the spread, that makes their local hospital a much safer place.”