Thirteen West Virginians died from COVID-19 during the weekend, including a 99-year-old male from Monongalia County, Gov. Jim Justice said Monday during a video press briefing.
“This thing has been a killer beyond belief,” he said.
The good news for the state when it comes to the pandemic, however — none of its 55 counties are red. But, there were 301 new COVID-19 cases Monday with a daily positivity rate of 5.19%, the state Department of Health and Human Resources said.
Active COVID-19 cases have fallen to 11,683, the lowest number of active cases since Nov. 18. There have been 2,212 deaths since the pandemic began in March.
“You’re doing better, West Virginia,” Justice said.
Justice again reminded everyone that if you are 65 or older and have even the slightest sign of symptoms, antibody treatments are available and can save your life.
“But, you’ve got to treat this as a heart attack or stroke,” and get tested immediately, he said.
Overall, more than 2 million COVID-19 tests have been conducted in West Virginia, which has a population of 1.7 million.
Around 252,000 residents are registered with the state to be vaccinated. Essential workers 50 and older will begin to be vaccinated this week, the governor said.
Marsh said by continuing to look out for each other and doing our best to protect the most vulnerable among us, West Virginia is seeing a real improvement in its numbers. Over the first five weeks of January, he noted, the state saw a 66% decrease in deaths from COVID-19.
Separately, Justice said 49-year-old Lt. Delmar Dean, a corrections officer at the Northern Regional Jail in Moundsville died Saturday from COVID-19. Dean, who died in a hospital, had worked at the facility for 26 years. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters and is the second corrections officer to die from the virus. Mark Rustemeyer, who served at Saint Marys Correctional Center in Pleasants County and died Jan. 2.
“I am very sorry,” said Justice, who again urged people to wear masks and give blood.
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