The Friday report from the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) shows 3,414 active cases, a jump of nearly 400 from the day before.

Twenty more COVID-19 deaths were reported during Gov. Jim Justice’s briefing Thursday as the BA.5 variant continues to infect West Virginians at a high rate.

The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department detected the case and Gov. Jim Justice announced it during his Tuesday COVID-19 briefing.

Coronavirus cases continue their climb in West Virginia, but the peak is yet to come.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, slightly more than half of West Virginians with HIV are receiving treatment. The national goal is 80 percent.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced new steps this week to limit silica dust in coal mines. Prolonged exposure to the dust has been proven to cause black lung disease.

The West Virginia Hospital Association is urging state and federal policymakers to help hospitals by increasing the amount of money provided to patients through government insurance programs.

It’s been more than five years since the West Virginia Legislature approved the use of medical cannabis in West Virginia. Dispensaries are opening across the state, but the industry is still in its infancy.

Medical cannabis is finally available to more than 8,000 patients in the Mountain State. Lawmakers greenlit the product in 2017, but it wasn’t until this year that a dozen dispensaries opened.

During Thursday’s press briefing, Gov. Jim Justice announced a reduction in the state’s COVID-19 testing regiment, citing low attendance at testing sites.