HUNTINGTON — Positive COVID-19 cases in West Virginia have increased this past month due to what health officials are calling the “summer wave,†said Mikaela Earl, Cabell-Huntington Health Department’s director of epidemiology.
as of Aug. 25, the number of emergency department visits related to COVID-19 has increased since May.
Still, West Virginia is considered to be in the Ҡfor emergency department visits related to COVID-19, Earl said. But surrounding states, like Virginia and Kentucky, are still in the moderate category.
Wastewater viral activity in West Virginia for COVID-19 is also high, according to CDC . Wastewater or sewage monitoring is used by the CDC to provide early warnings that infections are increasing or decreasing.
Mikaela Earl poses at the Cabell Huntington Health Department in Huntington, photographed on Aug. 13, 2024.
Ryan Fischer | HD Media
“We have seen a little bit of an increase when school starts, so this is something that isn’t abnormal around this time. We also have waning vaccinations right now because it has been a little bit of time since our last vaccination,†Earl said.
New, updated versions of the vaccines, Earl said, are becoming available to decrease the risk of spreading new variants. The newest vaccine versions include the 2024-25 Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
“When the new COVID vaccine comes out, that is definitely a big recommendation to get that COVID vaccine. It is the most up-to-date variant. So if you get that vaccine, that should definitely be helpful in decreasing those cases,†Earl said.
“Also (make) sure that if you are immunocompromised, if you’re worried about going out, make sure that you wear a mask; that would also be helpful; washing your hands as often as you can. If you are sick, make sure you stay home, or if you have been around someone that’s sick, make sure you do wear a mask.â€
COVID quarantine guidance has also been by the CDC, allowing for those who are infected to return to their normal activities within 24 hours if symptoms disappear, although it is recommended to still take like wearing a mask.
The CDC the newest versions of the COVID-19 vaccines have been released in the U.S., and Earl said they should become available soon in Cabell County.
