Cases trend downward, but new virus deaths reported around region

Charles Owens, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
·3 min read

Sep. 28—BLUEFIELD — Health officials are attributing another 10 deaths in the region to COVID-19.

In West Virginia, the Department of Health and Human Resources confirmed the following deaths Monday: a 56-year-old female from Mercer County; a 49-year-old male from Mercer County; an 83-year-old female from Mercer County; a 77-year-old male from McDowell County; a 76-year-old male from McDowell County; a 78-year-old male from Monroe County; and a 39-year-old male from Monroe County.

In all, 47 new COVID-19 deaths were reported Monday in the Mountain State, according to DHHR data.

In Virginia, health officials on Monday reported a new COVID-19 death in Tazewell County, a new virus death in Bland County and a new virus death in Buchanan County. In Virginia, state health officials do not release the age or gender of those individuals whose deaths are attributed to COVID-19.

In West Virginia, 1,163 new virus cases were reported Monday, a number that is down slightly from the 1,316 cases that were reported Sunday. Active virus cases Monday in the state stood at 14,534, which is down from 15,413 active cases on Sunday.

In Mercer County, where the death-toll to date from COVID-19 has now climbed to 154, active virus cases Monday stood at 592, which is down from 621 active cases on Sunday, according to DHHR statistics.

So far 28,341 people in Mercer County have received at least one dose of the vaccine, which equals to 48.2 percent of the county's population.

The number of individuals in Mercer County who have recovered from the virus to date stands at 6,916, according to the DHHR.

The DHHR reported 256 active virus cases Monday in McDowell County, which is down from 272 active cases on Sunday. Monroe County also dropped Monday to 91 active cases, which is down from 109 active infections on Sunday.

Breakthrough cases involving vaccinated individuals increased again Monday, climbing to 11,434 cases statewide in West Virginia. That's up from 11,058 breakthrough cases a day earlier on Sunday. The number of breakthrough deaths involving vaccinated individuals in West Virginia also increased from 126 cases Sunday to 131 on Monday.

Mercer County has reported 365 breakthrough cases involving vaccinated individuals to date and three breakthrough deaths.

Mercer and McDowell counties were still red Monday on the state's county alert map, which means community spread of the virus is still widespread. Monroe County was orange.

In terms of nursing home outbreaks, the Mercer Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, the Princeton Health Care Center and the Stonerise Princeton Center are all still considered outbreak sites in Mercer County by the DHHR. The largest number of confirmed virus cases Monday was at the Princeton Stonerise Center where nine residents and five staff members have tested positive for the virus.

In McDowell County, the DHHR said an active outbreak is continuing at the McDowell Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Gary where 15 residents and six staff members have tested positive for the virus.

In Virginia, Tazewell County has now reported 88 virus-related deaths to date. With the new death reported Monday in Bland County, the county's death toll has now increased to 13, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The number of virus deaths to date in Buchanan County has now climbed to 48.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens