WV and National Disaster News - December 22, 2021

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WEST VIRGINIA

Government

WV Daily COVID Update & Stats for December 22, 2021 (WV DHHR) - There have been 31 deaths reported since the last report (yesterday 12-21-21), with a total of 5,242 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 59-year old male from Ohio County, a 59-year old male from Fayette County, a 37-year old male from Ohio County, a 74-year old female from Mason County, a 92-year old male from Kanawha County, a 52-year old female from Mingo County, a 58-year old female from Summers County, a 60-year old female from Marion County, a 40-year old male from Doddridge County, an 86-year old male from Jefferson County, a 77-year old female from Harrison County, a 53-year old male from Brooke County, a 68-year old male from Kanawha County, a 51-year old male from Ohio County, a 79-year old male from Jackson County, a 65-year old male from Marshall County, a 28-year old male from Harrison County, a 75-year old female from Monongalia County, a 91-year old female from Fayette County, a 40-year old female from Preston County, an 82-year old female from Raleigh County, a 70-year old male from Morgan County, a 54-year old male from Nicholas County, a 67-year old male from Kanawha County, a 44-year old male from Barbour County, a 61-year old male from Mercer County, an 86-year old male from Hardy County, a 72-year old male from Lewis County, a 64-year old male from Logan County, and a 73-year old male from Mineral County.  Included in the total deaths reported on the dashboard as a result of the Bureau for Public Health’s continuing data reconciliation with the official death certificate is a 60-year old male from Wood County. This death occurred in October 2021.

“During the holiday season, we feel the loss of loved ones with a deeper pain,” said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. “Each person lost to this virus is loved and remembered. Please obtain your vaccine or booster today to honor their memory.”

Local

• As hospital capacity grows urgent, Justice announces initiatives to train more nurses (WV Metro News)
• Hamlin community comes together to help Kentucky Tornado victims (WOWK Huntington)
• Funding coming to West Virginia for 2016 flood repairs (CBS 13 Huntington)
• Fairmont State officials feel they’re already prepared for omicron (WBOY Clarksburg)

NATIONAL NEWS

COVID

• Covid-19 was third leading cause of death in 2020, driving record rise in death rate and nearly two-year drop in life expectancy (CNN)
• New York City offers $100 to residents who get COVID-19 booster (CBS News)
• Uncounted: Inaccurate death certificates across the country hide the true toll of COVID-19 (USA Today)
• Massachusetts activates 500 National Guard to support hospitals (AP News)
• Biden Bolsters Virus Fight, Offering Aid to Hospitals and Free Tests (The NY Times) Also see: NBC Nightly News (video), The Hill (mobilizing military support).
• Inside the struggles and heartaches of FEMA’s massive covid funeral assistance program (The Washington Post)
• NBC News reports hospitalizations around the nation have risen 39 percent from Nov. 1 to Tuesday and the number of people with Covid has risen by 30 percent in the last two weeks. One healthcare official in Minneapolis says they’ve had to bring in a refrigerated truck to expand morgue capacity noting, “We’re at that point in time where there’s so much death they don’t build hospital morgues to handle situations like this.” Some related media coverage includes CNN, CBS News, NPR, Fox News.

WEATHER

• Magnitude 5.9 earthquake felt through much of Alaska, but no immediate damage report (USA Today) Also see:  Anchorage Daily News (AK) 
• Northern California hit by 6.2 magnitude earthquake (KCRA News 3 - CA) 

Other

• The (Government) Customer Is Always Right (American Prospect) - A new executive order promises to speed the delivery of government services by modernizing cooperation across federal departments and state and local governments.

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