Our local COVID-19 updates represent the coordinated effort of the agencies that make up the DCCRT
JOINT INFORMATION CENTER PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 24, 2020
DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM - DAILY UPDATE
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County COVID-19 Test Results: Focus continues on our local COVID-19 response. As of 12:00 pm today, Thursday, September 24, 2020, there are TWO people with new positive test results and TWO presumptives have been MOVED to positives with positive test results since our noon case update yesterday. The total number of cases (people with positive test results and presumptive) in Douglas County is now at 223*. Currently, there are FIVE hospitalized Douglas County COVID-19 patients. One Douglas County patient is being hospitalized out-of-the-area, and the remaining four are being hospitalized locally.
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Douglas County, OR - COVID-19 - Case Update |
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Date |
Sunday, September 20, 2020 |
Monday, September 21, 2020 |
Tuesday, September 22, 2020 |
Wednesday, September 23, 2020 |
Today, Thursday, September 24, 2020 |
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Total COVID-19 Cases |
210 |
214 |
221 |
221 |
223 |
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People with Positive PCR or Antigen Test Results |
189 |
192 |
194 |
195 |
199 |
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Presumptive |
21 |
22 |
27 |
26 |
24 |
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Total Currently Hospitalized |
8 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
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Total Currently in Isolation |
27 |
27 |
31 |
33 |
34 |
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Total COVID-19 Related Deaths |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
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Total Negative Test Results |
12,267 |
12,311 |
12,413 |
12,438 |
12,538 |
*Our daily update includes the total number of cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives. We provide a breakout of the people with positive test results and presumptives in the chart above. Please note there will be times when a presumptive will move to a positive test result, and our total case number will not change because the case has already been counted, instead you will see an adjustment to our breakout numbers for positive test results and presumptives.
NOTICE: Unfortunately, we our numbers are continuing to increase at a steady pace. This is not good. The most recent cases all point to unwitting and presumably unintentional behavior by residents choosing to attend or host social gatherings where COVID-19 guidelines for social distancing, food preparation, hand washing and masks are not being followed. So, again we need to take a moment and revisit how we are socializing and protecting ourselves from the spread of this virus. Please continue to curb your travel, limit attending social gatherings, stay home if you are sick, wash your hands, stay six feet apart and wear a mask where recommended. Please stay safe and remember to be kind to others. Stopping the increase of COVID-19 cases in our county is really up to YOU, our residents.
OHA Definition for Recovered
Previously, we used the OHA definition for recovered that considered people recovered if they were 10 days from onset and symptoms were improving. As more is learned about COVID, the clinical definition of recovery is evolving. Due to the evolving nature of this definition, we have removed the column in our chart listing our recovered cases. We added the number of those in isolation that roughly correlates with the number of active cases. The DCCRT noon case and daily update will report the Total Number of COVID-19 Cases, the number of positive test results (as of 12:00 pm that day), the number of presumptive, total currently hospitalized, total currently in isolation, total COVID-19 deaths and total negative test results in Douglas County. Currently, DPHN is supporting 34 cases in isolation.
Getting Tested & Testing Clinics
The next drive-through testing clinic will be Friday, September 25, 2020, in Roseburg. As a reminder, if you are having symptoms of COVID-19 including cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches and pains, diarrhea, sore throat or decreased sense of smell and taste, talk to your health care provider about being tested for COVID-19. Patients without a Primary Care Provider, that are looking for a COVID-19 test should contact the Sutherlin Aviva Health Clinic at (541) 459-3788. The first drive-through testing site was piloted in the county on March 17, 2020, there have been 1492 people tested in 72 drive-through clinics, while additional testing continues in hospitals, urgent cares and clinics. The drive-through clinics are led by DPHN, in conjunction with partner agencies including; Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team, Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Public Works, local volunteers and local health professionals.
Oregon COVID-19 Case Update
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reports new cases once a day on their website at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. OHA also releases a daily situation status report and a weekly report that details the overall picture of the COVID-19 outbreak within our state. The daily report details positive and presumptive cases, as well as deaths by county and statewide, while the weekly report is more in depth and includes statistical data related the severity of cases by age, gender, zip codes, ethnicity, as well as information on workplace and senior care facility outbreaks in Oregon. Find additional information on the state or Federal COVID-19 response go to Oregon Health Authority, Centers for Disease Control, and 211Info.
Oregon Health Authority features new COVID-19 dashboard
Shared from OHA. Monday, September 21, 2020, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) launched a new version of the dashboard Oregon COVID-19 Case Demographics and Disease Severity Statewide to provide more information on the demographics of COVID-19 cases in Oregon. The new dashboard will present case rates per 100,000 people, which more clearly shows disparities in the burden of COVID-19 between demographic groups. In addition to case counts and rates, users will be able to view the percent of cases in each age group, sex, race and ethnicity that have ever been hospitalized for their illness or have died with COVID-19.
Oregon COVID-19 Presumptive
OHA expanded their reporting for COVID-19 case management to now include presumptive COVID-19 cases in their total case number. DPHN is reporting the number of people with new positive test results and any new presumptives and uses the OHA’s definition of presumptive as having had close contact with a known, confirmed COVID-19 case, showing symptoms and not yet having a positive nasal swab/PCR or antigen test for COVID-19. Testing continues, as DPHN has been holding 2-3 clinics a week and hospitals, urgent cares and clinics continue to test. DPHN continues their epidemiologic investigations, identifying individuals who may have had close contact with individuals that have tested positive for COVID-19, advising and supporting quarantine and isolation.
Reminder: Limit Travel, Social Gatherings and Visitors
We will continue to encourage residents to be cautious about traveling or inviting people from outside our county, and instead encourage our residents to delay travel, consider stay-cations and reschedule visits from out-of-the-area friends and family to a later date. We continue to identify people with positive test results that have chosen to travel out of Oregon to visit relatives or to take vacations. While traveling those individuals and families have come in contact with someone with COVID-19 and brought it back to Douglas County. We have expanded our list of states directly related to our cases though travel, they include Alaska, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts and Wyoming. A few other cases were the result of a family member coming to Douglas County to visit, brought the virus with them and infected their host family.
OHA: Back to School: Tips for schooling and working at home
Shared from OHA. The beginning of school this year was unusual in many ways. Most students are attending school in an online format, and many parents and caregivers are also working from home.
- Get familiar with the learning platform your child is using. Many online platforms have reminder and planning tools to help you and your child stay aware and on track.
- Learn your child’s daily school schedule and plan to try to be available for the times they may need support. For example, some children might need help logging in at the start of the day.
- Prepare for interruptions. For example, will your home network handle both you and your children to be working online at the same time?
- Establish a routine. You can write up a schedule that includes wake-up times, meals, breaks, class transitions, times for online versus offline work during your workday so that everyone is on the same page about daily expectations.
To learn more, the American Academy of Pediatrics has more tips about working and learning from home and age-based tips on how to juggle parenting and working at home during COVID-19.
OHA: Remote learning and your child’s mental and physical health
Shared from OHA. After you have made sure your child’s workspace, schedule and physical fitness are taken care of, you may worry about mental and social/emotional health. How can you help them cope during this time? Check out the graphic below for some tips. To learn more about coping during COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website and howrightnow.org.
OHA: Are you ready to talk to your children about playdates?
Shared from OHA. The conversation is bound to happen, if it has not already. If you’re not comfortable you’re your kids meeting up with their friends, or for scheduling playdates yet, explain that it is for their safety. Listen to their thoughts and concerns, and help them think of ways to keep in touch.
- For younger children, you can keep it simple and try to find alternatives that do not include in-person visits.
- For teens, you can point them to the facts about the virus. Encourage them to be safe.
The Harvard Health Blog has many useful tips for what to do if your teen pushes back about staying home during COVID-19. This article from Children’s Hospital of Orange County also explains what you can do to help your children cope with missing their friends.
If you are ready for your kids to spend time with friends again, make sure your kids know the rules and agree to the limits that you have set together. Yes, sit down with your kids and talk about the boundaries and COVID-19 safe guidelines. It is recommended that everyone 5 years or older wear a face covering and stay at least 6 feet apart at all times during their visit. Then, make sure to wash hands frequently and especially upon return home.
- For younger children, keep it supervised. Make sure everyone is making good COVID-19 safe choices.
- This article from Boston Children’s Hospital explains how teens can set boundaries and expectations with their friends before meeting up.
To learn more about having difficult conversations with children, friends and family about COVID-19, visit the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health website.
OHA changes childcare reporting guidelines
Shared from OHA. Starting today, Sept. 23, OHA is changing the process for reporting COVID-19 outbreaks in childcare facilities. The change will provide a more transparent and comprehensive reporting of these cases. Childcare providers are required to report COVID-19 cases to their local health care authority. Since July, OHA has reported on outbreaks of five or more cases in facilities that enrolled 30 or more children in the Weekly COVID-19 Report. Under the new reporting threshold, outbreaks of more than two children in facilities with a capacity of more than 16 children will now be reported, provided they are not siblings in the same household.
Facebook Live with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer
Join us Friday, September 25, 2020 for the next virtual town hall Q&A with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, your Douglas County Public Health Officer at 6:00 pm, hosted by DPHN and found on the DPHN Facebook page.
LOCAL WILDFIRE INFORMATION
Local wildfire information is available directly from the links listed here. Please log onto their sites for the most up to date information. The Archie Creek Fire Website, Facebook page, phone number: (971) 334-7674 and email: 2020.archiecreek@firenet.gov. The Thielsen Fire Website, Facebook page, phone number: (541) 595-8227 and email: 2020.Thielsen@firenet.gov. Please continue to monitor the Douglas Forest Protective Association’s Website and Facebook page for additional local wildfire updates. For current evacuation information please continue to monitor the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office website or Facebook page. Please call 911 to report any signs of new fires.
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LOCAL COVID-19 INFORMATION |
Stay Informed with Accurate Local Information
Stay up to date on COVID-19 in Douglas County on the Douglas County Government website or the DPHN website. Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team (DCCRT) have been working hard to cooperatively provide accurate and timely information to Douglas County residents since March 8, 2020. Our local COVID-19 updates represent the coordinated effort of the agencies that make up the DCCRT.
UPDATE: Douglas County Resource/COVID-19 Hotline: (541) 464-6550:
Douglas County Commissioners and Douglas Public Health Network have added a resource and referral service to the current COVID-19 hotline for Douglas County residents. The added service will help residents get connected to resources and services due to the local wildfires. Referral and resource information will be available about local emergency shelters, livestock and animal boarding options, donation locations, volunteer opportunities, welfare check referrals, food and water resources and help with health and wellness questions. This is NOT the hotline for Fire Updates or Evacuation information. Please contact or follow DFPA and DCSO for the most up-to-date wildfire information. The Resource/COVID-19 Hotline is (541) 464-6550. It is staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week until further notice. (Please note that the hotline hours have been adjusted, effective September 23, 2020.)
Questions about Governor’s Reopening or Statewide Rules? If you have questions or need more information go to the Governor’s COVID-19 website at https://govstatus.egov.com/or-covid-19/ or call 211 or the Business Oregon's Navigator Hotline at (833) 604-0880.
Who Do You Contact to Report Compliance Issues with the Governor’s Statewide Rules? Please do not call 911, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or Douglas County Offices to report compliance issues with the Governor’s orders. The Governor has directed the State offices for Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) to be the enforcement agencies responsible for ensuring restaurants, bars, and other businesses comply with COVID-related rules.
For more information or to report compliance issues contact:
OSHA: (800) 922-2689 or OSHA website
OLCC (503) 872-5000 or OLCC website
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Contact Tamara Howell, Public Information Officer, Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team, (541) 670-2804 cell/(541) 957-4896 tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Contact Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer, Douglas Public Health Network, (541) 817-6552 cell (541) 440-3571 vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org