WV and National Disaster News - January 21, 2022

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WEST VIRGINIA

COVID
WV Daily COVID Update and Stats for January 21, 2022 (WV DHHR) - WV DHHR reports as of January 21, 2022, there are currently 16,742 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There have been 19 deaths reported since the last report (yesterday on 1-20-22), with a total of 5,609 deaths attributed to COVID-19.  DHHR has confirmed the deaths of 77-year old male from Raleigh County, a 76-year old female from Raleigh County, a 94-year old male from Barbour County, a 76-year old female from Marion County, a 61-year old female from Kanawha County, a 76-year old female from Preston County, an 85-year old female from Kanawha County, an 80-year old female from Calhoun County, a 61-year old female from Berkeley County, a 76-year old male from Kanawha County, a 91-year old female from Monongalia County, a 66-year old male from Greenbrier County, a 53-year old female from Barbour County, an 86-year old female from Kanawha County, a 70-year old male from Boone County, an 87-year old female from Marion County, an 84-year old female from Berkeley County, a 55-year old female from Berkeley County, and a 79-year old male from Hancock County.

“Every loss in West Virginia brings grief to a family," said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. “As we comfort those who mourn, we must also do our best to stop this deadly virus by choosing to be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19."

• West Virginia sees fewer active COVID cases, more hospitalizations (The Parkersburg News and Sentinel)
  
• W.Va.'s coronavirus czar issues warning as state's virus-related hospitalizations climb (WCHS-TV)
• DHHR releases Thursday COVID-19 report, active cases nearly flat (MetroNews-Radio)
• W.Va. hits daily positive test rate record of 25.01%; new virus cases top 5,400 (WCHS-TV)
• Additional COVID-19-related death reported in Kanawha County (WCHS-TV)
• Additional hospitals likely to seek West Virginia National Guard staffing support as shortages, COVID mount (The Exponent Telegram)
• WV Gov. Justice uses his own COVID experience to encourage vaccinations  (WBOY-TV)
• WVU Medicine postpones vaccine mandate for second time (WBOY-TV)

• Wind Chill Advisories for parts of West Virginia (National Weather Service)
• Frigid forecast in the cards for north-central West Virginia Friday and Saturday (WBOY)

• VFDs stretched thin during busy winter; Lawmakers consider funding, retention bills (WCHS)

NATIONAL NEWS

COVID

• CDC: People with prior infection and vaccination best protected against Covid (CNBC)
• The latest on the coronavirus pandemic and the Omicron variant (CNN)
• This Is the County in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area with the Most Deaths from COVID-19 (MSN)
• 'Every little bit helps' | Delaware hospitals issue call for volunteers amid COVID surge, staffing shortages (WDEL)

• Virginia and the Carolinas under states of emergency as a snow and ice event arrives (CNN)
• Another Winter Storm Will Bring Snow, Ice Threat to South, Southern Mid-Atlantic Into Early Saturday (The Weather Channel); Also see: AccuWeather
• Freezing Temps Force Some COVID Testing Sites To Close (Time News Express, CBSDFW.com - TX) 

• ​FEMA Experiences 'Mass Exit' of Employees Amid Surge in Disasters (Government Exec)