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CHARLESTON -- January was the deadliest month for West Virginia for COVID-19, while new numbers show that infections, hospitalizations, and deaths are decreasing heading into the 12th month of the pandemic.
According to an analysis of data from the Department of Health and Human Resources, 686 West Virginians died from the coronavirus in January, beating December's total of 603 deaths by 14 percent. As of Jan. 31, the state lost 2,028 residents to COVID-19.
However, there are signs that deaths may have peaked. There were 248 deaths reported between Jan. 18 and Jan. 31 -- a 38 percent decrease from the 400 deaths reported the previous 14 days. Over a seven-day period, the state saw an average of 18 deaths per day.
January marked the first time that COVID-19 cases decreased in the state. January saw 33,051 cases, a 16 percent decrease from December's peak of 39,279 cases. Since March 17, there have been 121,425 total cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia.
The number of positive cases over the Jan 18-31 period was 10,795, which was a 42 percent decrease compared to 18,492 cases during the prior 14-day period. As of Monday -- the most recent data available -- the state reported 424 new cases received in a 24-hour period compared to Sunday's data. The state averaged 754 cases per day over a seven-day period, down from 784 cases the previous seven days.
Active COVID-19 cases -- the number of infected people in self-quarantine or hospitalized -- was 20,165 cases as of Monday -- a 17 percent decrease from 24,365 active cases seven days ago and a 31 percent decrease from a peak of 29,257 active cases on Jan. 10. All 55 counties have active cases for the 15th week in a row, with active cases decreasing in 45 out of 55 counties over the last seven days.
There were 438 hospitalizations as of Monday, down from 597 hospitalizations the previous week -- a 27 percent decrease.
The average number of hospitalizations between Jan. 18 and Jan. 31 decreased by 24 percent over the average number of hospitalizations the previous 14 days. The number of infected people in intensive care units was 118 -- down from 151 last week -- and 48 people are on ventilators -- down from 63 last week.
January also marked the greatest number of COVID-19 tests conducted in the state, with 409,057 tests -- an 8 percent increase from 378,627 tests in December.
Despite setting a new record last month, testing was down slightly the last couple of weeks.
The total numbers of test results between Jan. 18 and Jan. 31 was 165,750 -- a 22 percent decrease in testing compared to 213,461 tests results between Jan. 4. through Jan. 17. Over the last seven days, the state conducted an average of 12,035 tests per day, up from 11,638 tests per day the previous week.
(Adams can be contacted at sadams@newsandsentinel.com)