By Shawn Stinson
For the first time since the start of the pandemic, health officials announced three deaths in county residents within a seven-day period.
The initial death of the week was announced by Pendleton County Health Department officials on March 30. The individual was a 93-year-old female. The death of a 90-year-old male was announced on April 1 on the department’s Facebook page. The third death of a county resident during this period was announced on April 4 by health officials. The individual was identified as a 75-year-old female. County health officials said all three individuals had been in the hospital.
There have been 21 deaths of county residents associated with the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. This marked the first time county officials have announced at least two deaths in the same week since Oct. 12-19, 2021, when there were two deaths on the same day. This also signified the first time there have been three deaths in a seven-day period in the county.
Pendleton County remained listed as a green county on the April 4 update on the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources coronavirus website. All 55 counties in the state were listed as green on the update.
There have been 2,008 total cases of the coronavirus in Pendleton County since the start of the pandemic. The county’s positivity rate was 0.00, 0.17 and 0.34 on the April 2 to 4 updates. The county’s infection rate was listed as 0.00, 3.59 and 7.17 during the same time. All the county’s numbers were in the green range.
There have been 1,487 cases of people diagnosed with COVID-19 who were not fully vaccinated, of 1,740 total cases in the county, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard. Also in Pendleton County, .03% of fully vaccinated people have developed COVID-19. Of 17 deaths since vaccinations became available, 16 deaths were among the unvaccinated.
There have been an additional two breakthrough cases in county residents since the March 28 update. This brings the total number of breakthrough cases to 253 in the county with one death. A breakthrough case is defined as an individual deemed fully vaccinated by health officials, but tests positive for the coronavirus.
The website lists 3,398 – 48.8% – county residents deemed fully vaccinated. There were eight second doses of the vaccine administered to county residents since March 21. There were 37 booster doses provided to county residents during this same time.
Gov. Jim Justice announced during his April 1 coronavirus press briefing that second booster shots have been authorized by FDA officials and recommended by CDC officials for individuals 50 years and older who are at least four months removed from their first booster dose.
“Please take advantage of this,” Justice said. “If you have been fully vaccinated, got a booster shot, it’s been four months and you’re at least 50 years old or immunocompromised, you need to get a second booster shot. If you don’t, I don’t think that’s wise.”
