New COVID variant spreading

West Virginia will likely continue to see an increase in COVID cases as a new, more infectious variant, is rapidly spreading across the U.S.

Dr. Clay Marsh, state COVID-19 Czar, said Wednesday during Gov. Jim Justice’s pandemic briefing that the variant, XXB.1.5 originated in the U.S. and now is responsible for about 40 percent cases across the country and 75 percent in the Northeast.

Marsh said a “critical mutation” in the virus now allows easier infections, and it is also “very evasive to our immunity.”

The variant is also “not inhibited” by any commercial monoclonal antibody treatment, he added.

“In the last three weeks it has now become the most common variant in the country,” he said, and, as usual, older people are targeted.

“It has not shown its full force in West Virginia and the numbers are likely to go up,” Marsh said, and it is crucial for those over 65 to get the Omicron booster shot, which has shown to be effective in preventing hospitalization and death.

“People over 65 with the booster shot see an 80 to 90 percent reduction on hospitalizations,” he said, as well as a 2.5 times reduced risk of death. “We know it has benefits against this variant.”

Preventing hospitalizations is front and center as those numbers are already rising.

As of Wednesday, state hospitals reported 360 COVID-related patients with 56 in ICUs and 17 on ventilators.

“We still have capacity at this point,” Marsh said of hospitals, which are already dealing with flu and RSV cases.

He said state leaders stay in close contact with the state Hospital Association and hospital leadership.

“Staffing is still an issue,” he said, and a previous estimate of the point hospitals would be facing a challenge to handle patients was 500 COVID patients.

“This thing could turn very, very quickly where our hospitals are overrun,” Justice said.

Members of his family have tested positive for COVID, he said, but all are doing okay.

“This thing is extremely contagious,” Justices added, and the best possible measure people can take is to be up to date on vaccine, as well as getting a flu shot.

“Flu will get worse before the winter is over,” he said.

Justice read a list of 26 more COVID-related deaths, including a 72-year-old male from Mercer County.

The total number of COVID deaths reported since the pandemic began rose to 7,687.

Justice also said Wednesday he is “rebranding” his pandemic briefings and “refocus our briefings in a different way” while still honoring those who die from COVID and provide updates as needed.

Other government elements will be incorporated in the briefings, he said, and will include cabinet secretaries to discuss things happening around the state.

The briefings will be called Justice Administration Updates.

If COVID “turns tough again,” though, he said he will return to “purely COVID briefings.”

— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com