COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise across Marshall’s campus, across Cabell County and across West Virginia.

According to Marshall’s coronavirus dashboard, as of Tuesday afternoon, the positive test rate across campus for this week is 4.48%, up from just 1.79% last week, 1.02% the week before and 1.15% for all data before then. It is important to note that many test results for this week still are pending, and this data represents tests from just the first three days of this week.

Data from Sunday through Tuesday this week indicate 624 tests conducted, with 16 positive results thus far and 267 results still pending. For comparison, last week there were a total of 21 positive results on campus from a total of 1,173 tests. The week before that, there were just 12 positive results from a total 1,175 tests.

According to the Harvard University COVID Risk Levels Dashboard, Cabell County as a whole is at a “tipping point,” at which “stay-at-home orders (are) necessary.”

According to the dashboard, Cabell County is averaging more than 34 daily new cases per 100,000 people, on a 7-day moving average. The county has reported a total of 1,548 cases and 25 deaths.

Statewide, West Virginia has reported more than 25,000 confirmed positive cases and a total of 469 deaths. Statewide data indicate a 7-day moving average of 23.8 daily new cases per 100,000 people and an average of 425.7 total daily new cases.

According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, as of Tuesday morning, 11 deaths had been reported in the previous 24 hours. As of the same time, there were a total of 5,507 active cases reported across the state.

The Harvard dashboard places 26 West Virginia  counties at a risk level of “accelerated spread,” with “stay-at-home orders and rigorous test and trace programs advised.” It places 19 counties at the same  level as Cabell County, its highest risk level. Just 10 counties are categorized as lower or medium risk levels. Zero counties are considered “on track for containment.”

Douglas Harding can be contacted at [email protected].