WV and National Disaster News - December 28, 2022

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WEST VIRGINIA
 
COVID & FLU
WV Daily COVID Update & Stats for December 28, 2022 (WV DHHR) – There were no deaths reported to DHHR over the last 24 hours, and the total deaths remain at 7,661 attributed to COVID-19. There are currently 1,085 active COVID-19 cases statewide.  See detailed stats at following link.

• Flu season in WV earliest in years, health officials say (Coal Valley News)
• State Officials Warn Of Post-Holiday COVID-19 Surge (WV Public Broadcasting-Radio)
• COVID hospitalizations spike after Christmas in West Virginia (WV Metro News-Radio)

 Infrastructure

• Concerns elevated following power grid use during arctic weekend across W.Va. and country (WCHS-TV)
• Gov. Justice criticizes Christmas weekend power grid issues (Parkersburg News and Sentinel)

Weather Related Recovery

• State Emergency Operations Center reflects on response to 2022 Christmas Snowstorm (MyBuckhannon)
• Water floods West Virginia church after water line break on Christmas morning (WOWK-TV)
• Christmas-Day water line break at local apartment complex displaces 16 families (MyBuckhannon)
• Concerns mount over possible water line breaks as temperatures warm up (WV Metro News-Radio)
• Pipes damaged in freezing temperatures continue to cause issues (WCHS-TV)
• Some Wood County Schools experience water damage due to below freezing temperatures (WTAP-TV)
• Large sections of Raleigh County without water, boil water advisory in place (WVVA-TV)

NATIONAL NEWS
 
COVID

• It's not too late to get a COVID booster — especially for older adults (NPR)
• Local health departments working to restore trust as they fight vaccine misinformation (NBC News), related news: NY Times
• Shortfalls of some cold and flu meds continue amid shifting respiratory virus season (CNN)

 
Weather

• Buffalo death toll reaches 32 in brutal Christmas weekend storm as bodies turn up in snowbanks, iced-in cars (Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News) related news: The Buffalo News 
• Blizzard death toll rises in Western New York; Biden approves emergency declaration Fox News 
• With at least 31 dead from blizzard, Buffalo braces for flooding (Washington Post)
• 'Atmospheric River' Begins to Pound Western U.S. With Rain and Snow (NY Times)
• With more storms on the way, thousands on the West Coast have no power after strong winds, heavy rain and snow push through (CNN)
• Opinion: Climate change and bomb cyclones: What do we know? (The Hill)