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CHARLESTON -- The number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise, and while aggressive testing is ongoing, Gov. Jim Justice raised concerns about the small number of tests coming out of some counties.
“Most of us are concerned, most of us are doing the right stuff, but most of us aren’t really concerned to the level that we really truly should be,” Justice said Monday during the final COVID-19 virtual briefing before the 2020 general election.
“We’ve got to live, and we’ve got to live with this,” Justice said. “We’re on what we hope and pray is a short fuse until we can get to a vaccine. We hope and pray that it is really close and coming sooner than later.”
According to data from the state Department of Health and Human Resources, the total number of test results over the last 14 days was 105,898, which was a 13 percent increase in testing compared to 93,496 test results between Oct. 5. and Oct. 18. However, the number of people getting tested at free testing locations varies. According to DHHR, while 432 people came out for testing in Berkeley County, just 33 people came out for tests in Jackson County.
Justice said more people need to get tested to justify the massive amounts of free testing going on across the state. Justice said that DHHR, the West Virginia National Guard and county health departments are being stretched thin trying to increase testing opportunities with sometimes very few people taking advantage.
“From the standpoint of the pure commitment of dollars from your state, it is astronomical what it is costing in pure flat dollars, not only what these great people are doing,” Justice said. “You’ve got to show up and get tested. For crying out loud.”
The number of positive cases over the last 14 days 4,895, which was a 39 percent increase in positive cases from the previous 14 days. As of Monday, the most recent data available, the state reported 352 new cases in a 24-hour period.
Active COVID-19 cases, the number of infected people in self-quarantine or hospitalized, was 5,557 cases as of Monday, a 10 percent increase from 5,031 cases seven days ago and a 9 percent increase from 5,096 cases 14 days ago.
All 55 counties have active cases for the third week in a row. Active cases have increased in 32 counties, down from 34 counties last week. Cases in 23 counties have decreased.
Active cases have dropped from record highs in the state’s three largest counties by population: Kanawha, Monongalia and Berkeley.
But active cases have started to increase dramatically in the Mid- and Upper Ohio valleys.
Wood County active cases increased by 55 percent from last week, from 104 to 232. Ohio County saw active cases increase by 57 percent in seven days, from 67 to 157. Marshall County saw a 64 percent increase in active cases, from 57 to 160.
West Virginia is starting to see an increase in COVID-19 deaths again after several weeks of declines. The state reported 458 total COVID-19 deaths as of Monday. There were 58 deaths reported between Oct. 19 and Nov. 1 and 41 deaths reported between Oct. 5 through Oct. 18.
Hospitalizations continue an upward climb. There were 254 hospitalizations as of Monday, a 44 percent increase from 177 hospitalizations seven days ago. The average number of hospitalizations between Oct. 19 and Nov. 1 increased by 25 percent over the average number of hospitalizations the previous 14 days. The number of infected people in intensive care units was 84, up from 71 on Saturday, and 33 people are on ventilators, up from 23 people last week.
West Virginia’s Rt number, the rate that shows how quickly the virus is spreading in the community, was 1.11 as of Monday. The state’s Rt number was the 22nd best rate in the nation, though all states except two were in the red for having Rt numbers higher than 1. Any Rt value below 1 means the growth of the virus is slowing, while numbers above 1 mean the virus is spreading.
West Virginia’s daily percent of positive cases was 4.19 percent, and the cumulative percent of positive cases continues to increase, sitting at 2.95 percent.