WV and National Disaster News - August 31, 2022

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WEST VIRGINIA
 
COVID & MONKEYPOX

WV Daily COVID Update & Stats for August 31, 2022 (WV DHHR) –There have been nine deaths reported since the yesterday's report (8/30/22), with a total of 7,286 deaths attributed to COVID-19. There are currently 2,980 active COVID-19 cases statewide.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 70-year old male from Kanawha County, an 83-year old male from Kanawha County, a 63-year old female from Harrison County, a 38-year old male from Kanawha County, a 67-year old female from Kanawha County, an 87-year old male from Preston County, a 61-year old female from Kanawha County, an 89-year old male from Cabell County, and an 83-year old male from Summers County.

• W.Va. officials: COVID numbers fluctuating, but could plateau (Bluefield Daily Telegraph) -On Monday, the DHHR (Department of Health and Human Resources) reported 328 hospitalizations, a number that has been fluctuating between 300 and 350. Officials are hoping it won't increase, especially over 500, which state officials say would begin to challenge the capabilities of state hospitals to handle those and other in-patients in the coming months.

• West Virginia's AG comes out in support of COVID-19 vaccine exemptions for Navy personnel  (WDVM-TV)

ENERGY

• WV businesses receive USDA grants for green energy projects  (WBOY-TV)
• Justice, State and Local Leaders Dedicate Green Power Bus Factory  (West Virginia Public Broadcasting-Radio)

• ​Brooke County says overdoses on the rise after 1 dead and 1 potential overdose death  (WTRF-TV)

WEATHER & FLOOD RECOVERY

• High water, power outages reported in some spots after storms move through  (WCHS-TV)
• WV faces disproportionately high flood risks | Putnam News (The Herald-Dispatch)

 
NATIONAL NEWS
 
COVID & MONKEYPOX

• Life expectancy in the U.S. continues to drop, driven by COVID-19 (NPR)
• Local universities share monkeypox policies amid first reported U.S. death (WUSA DC)
• People experiencing homelessness are catching monkeypox. Why experts are worried and what cities are doing. (USA Today)

WEATHER

• Heat wave to bring dangerously high temperatures to western US (AccuWeather)
• California grid officials ready to ask for conservation as extreme heat wave approaches, Hoping to Avoid Blackouts (The Fresno Bee)
• Three Areas of Tropical Development Possible (The Weather Channel), related news: AccuWeather 

OTHER

• President Biden declares emergency for Jackson water crisis (Mississippi Today) - Recent torrential rain coupled with years of water system issues have resulted in a crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, where the city doesn't have enough water to fight fires, flush toilets or even hand out to residents in need. The water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, has gotten so bad, the city temporarily ran out of bottled water to give to residents – see full article at CNN.  

Related news:  Clarion Ledger, Bloomberg News, NBC News, AccuWeather, BuzzFeed News, WLBT News 3), and  Mississippi Free Press

• No National EAS Test This Year, But FCC Will Test Wireless Alert Geotargeting on Sept. 12 and 13  (Inside Radio) - the FCC says it has partnered with 42 state and local government agencies to assess the geographic accuracy of Wireless Emergency Alerts in areas across the country. Wireless providers will then push the alerts to compatible mobile devices in the affected area.​

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