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COVID-19 delta variant identified in Mineral County

July 21st, 2021 by WCBC Radio

Public health officials announced Wednesday that a case of the delta variant of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Mineral County.Officials said in a Facebook post that the case had been identified through routine screening of COVID-19 specimens.

The delta variant is believed to be more easily transmissible, though the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all thought to be effective against it, officials said in the post. Unvaccinated individuals are at the highest risk for death and serious illness.

"The best way to slow the emergence of new variants is to reduce the spread of infection by taking measures to protect yourself," officials said, adding that vaccines, frequent hand-washing, mask wearing and social distancing can help control the disease's spread.

West Virginia has seen at least 22 total delta variant cases. A case in Hampshire County was confirmed in June. In Maryland, Allegany County confirmed its first variant case last week and Garrett County confirmed its first case Tuesday.

There are 23 active COVID-19 cases in Mineral County, per state data. The county has seen 2,681 total confirmed cases and 92 deaths from the virus and its complications.