WV and National Disaster News - January 20, 2023

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WEST VIRGINIA

COVID & Medical
WV Daily COVID Update & Stats for January 20, 2023 (WV DHHR) – There were no deaths reported to DHHR over the last 24 hours, and the total deaths remain at 7,790 attributed to COVID-19. There are currently 889 active COVID-19 cases statewide.

• West Virginia bill would allow nurses, doctors, EMTS to carry a firearm  (WTRF-TV)

• Lawsuit filed over Paint Creek chemical spill  (MetroNews-Radio)

• Kanawha BOE first to buy electric bus from GreenPower  (MetroNews-Radio)
• House passes Senate carbon sequestration bill  (MetroNews-Radio)
• Justice Coal Company Settles Mine Reclamation Suit in Virginia  (West Virginia Public Broadcasting-Radio)

Funding for Infrastructure & Resilience

• Funding approved for 4 water system improvement projects  (WSAZ-TV)
• Fire Departments joining forces to seek grant funds  (Williamson Daily News)
• City of New Martinsville Distributes ARPA Monies  (Wetzel Chronicle)
• American Water Accepting Applications for the 2023 Environmental Grant Program  (Valdosta Daily Times)

Opioid Crisis

• Wood County Commission hears update on lawsuits with opioid distributors  (The Parkersburg News and Sentinel)

NATIONAL NEWS
 
COVID, FLU, RSV

• What doctors wish patients knew about COVID-19 reinfection (American Medical Association)
• Flu, RSV and COVID-19 may have peaked. But the threat isn't over (Today.com)
• Some people get COVID, flu and RSV at the same time, and coinfections are worst for young kids (Houston Chronicle)
• Trying to Stop Long COVID Before It Even Starts (The Atlantic)
• Is it time for a reality check on rapid COVID tests? (NPR)
• US confirmed country's first case of Covid-19 three years ago Friday (CNN)

 
Weather & Recovery

• 7 million are under winter alerts as snowstorm begins to impact Northeast (CNN)
• California Storm's Price Tag Estimated at 'Several Hundred Million' by FEMA (Newsweek) number to go up.
• Biden tours beach town damaged by massive California storms  (Associated Press), related news: NPR, USA Today, and Politico
• Hale County EMA confirms FEMA assistance is coming to the county (MSN/WBRC News 6 – Georgia)​