With the addition of the 1,120 identified on Wednesday, Dec. 2, West Virginia has now surpassed 50,000 total cases of COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic.
In a post on social media, dated Wednesday, Dec. 2, the Greenbrier County Homeland Security Office of Emergency Management said, “Yesterday, the town of Rainelle lost an employee that can never be replaced. Patricia Church passed away from the extreme damages of the coronavirus. Pat was a great friend, a dedicated worker serving all Rainelle area residents, a hard worker and an incredibly knowledgeable grant administrator. Pat worked for the town of Rainelle as grant administrator for all grants including FEMA Hazard Mitigation, DOH, Block Grants, etc. We worked together every day on many of the projects throughout the county after the 2016 flood. Home demolition, home rebuilds through RISE and ASP, demo of abandoned structures, generator grants, etc. We are heartbroken and very sad for her entire family, especially her dear husband Doug, but also the extended family members. What a difficult time when family and friends have no means to help or console those in a COVID ICU unit. I wish we could have all been with her or could have done something to help her in her final days. We will always remember Pat and her friendship, however, our hearts will continue to be irreparably broken and very sad. RIP Pat Church – we love and miss you terribly.”
As of Wednesday, Dec. 3, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reports that 11 more West Virginians have succumbed to complications stemming from COVID-19. Among those confirmed deceased are an 86-year-old Berkeley man, a 56-year-old Berkeley woman, an 83-year-old Marshall County man, an 81-year-old Marshall County man, a 91-year-old Boone County woman, a 77-year-old Hancock County man, a 51-year-old Wood County man, an 87-year-old Mineral County man, a 79-year-old Mineral County woman, an 85-year-old Greenbrier County man and a 73-year-old Cabell County woman.
The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in West Virginia has now reached 789.
There are currently 17,428 active cases of COVID-19 statewide. The daily positivity-rate is 6.94% and the cumulative positivity-rate is 3.73%.
At present, there are 624 West Virginians hospitalized with COVID-19, 169 of whom are being cared for in the ICU, with 89 being treated with ventilators. The W.Va. DHHR reports that 32,808 individuals previously infected have since recovered.
In Greenbrier County, active outbreaks have been reported at the Stonerise Lewisburg Center and Stonerise Rainelle Meadow Garden. Administrators at Stonerise Healthcare have provided continual updates to patients, families, care-partners and public health officials.
“As the rate of infection increases throughout Greenbrier County, we must all, as a community, embrace the safe behaviors we know are necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Nathan Hanshew, an administrator at Stonerise Lewisburg.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.