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News Release
DCCRT
DCCRT
Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team - Daily Update - October 23, 2020 (Photo) - 10/23/20

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 – October 23, 2020

DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM - DAILY UPDATE

 

(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County COVID-19 Test Results:  The Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team remains committed to our local COVID-19 response.  As of 12:00 pm today, Friday, October 23, 2020, there is ONE person with a new positive test result since our noon case update yesterday.  The total number of cases (people with positive test results and presumptive) in Douglas County is now at 342*.  Currently, there are SIX Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized.  One Douglas County patient is being hospitalized out of the area, and five Douglas County patients are being hospitalized locally.

 

Douglas County, OR - COVID-19 - Case Update

Date

Monday,

October 19, 2020

Tuesday,

October 20, 2020

Wednesday,

October 21, 2020

Thursday,

October 22, 2020

Today, Friday,

October 23, 2020

Total COVID-19 Cases

319

328

333

341

342

People with Positive

PCR or Antigen Test Results

285

294

298

303

304

Presumptive

34

34

35

38

38

Total Currently Hospitalized

6

5

5

4

6

Total Currently

in Isolation

49

43

45

49

50

Total COVID-19 Related Deaths

4

4

4

5

5

Total Negative

Test Results

14,752

14,843

14,930

15,049

15,108

*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.

 

Help Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 In Douglas County

During the difficult times of this pandemic, the DCCRT Team, under the direction of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, along with Dr. Dannenhoffer and Douglas Public Health Network, would like to remind residents of the importance of being kind to one another and to take extra care in helping us to slow the spread of COVID-19 in order to protect your health, your family’s health and the health of our communities.  Today we had another surge in cases, along with the sad report of another death.  We know we keep reiterating this message, but our primary focus is to do everything we can to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our citizens.  Today, as noted above, we reported a significant spike in new cases.  With the onset of cold/flu season, holiday happenings on the horizon, some schools people yearning for social activities and parents already expressing remote teaching fatigue, it’s important that everyone get back on track with COVID-19 prevention measures.  It is definitely not the time to forgo your preventative COVID-19 health and safety measures.  If you still want to partake in social activities, we ask that you do so with safety and COVID protection in mind. The DCCRT team continues to encourage residents to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities by practicing prevention measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

 

Residents can help to protect themselves, their families and our communities from the spread of COVID-19 by following these simple, basic health and safety precautions:

 

  • Make a habit of washing and sanitizing your hands.  That means washing after you eat, touch new surfaces, go to the bathroom, go to the store, go to the post office or after a meeting.  Remember also to try to avoid touching your face as much as possible. 
  • Stay at least six feet apart from anyone that is not from your immediate household.  This means paying attention to the distance stickers at the store, the bank, at restaurants and at businesses.  Please be respectful and polite, by giving people ample space.
  • Stay home from work, school and play if you are sick.  This includes not running errands or going shopping or inviting visitors to your home.  If you need help, reach out to friends, family or utilize an app or businesses that offers no contact deliveries. 
  • Minimize travel, especially out of the state and limit visitors to your home.
  • Wear a mask were recommended.

 

Our recent cases can be attributed to travel and unwitting and 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.  Cases have been linked to social gatherings including: birthday parties, weddings, funerals, prayer groups, play dates, visiting family members and school events. Again, we ask that you take a moment and revisit how you are socializing and please protect yourself and your loved ones from the spread of this virus.  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 citizens.

 

UPDATED: OHA Definition for Recovered

We wanted to let you know that as per the Oregon Health Authority COVID-19 Investigative Guidelines, the number of recovered is no longer being assessed or reported.  Up until May 1st, 2020 recovery from COVID-19 was defined as being afebrile (not feverish), without the use of antiphyretics (medicine to reduce a fever), and having resolution of cough, shortness of breath and diarrhea for at least 72 hours.  As more was learned about symptoms, recovery and contagious period, the definition of recovered changed.   Beginning May 1st, OHA stopped reporting recovered cases while also separating recovery from contagious or isolation period. Many cases were no longer contagious as they were outside of the contagious period, but still having lingering symptoms.  To be consistent with OHA and to adapt as we learn more about this new virus, we removed the column in our chart listing recovered cases.  At that point, we added the number of those in isolation, roughly indicating active or infectious cases of COVID-19.

 

Currently, DPHN is supporting 50 cases in isolation, as well as another 230 contacts in quarantine in Douglas County.  Isolation is recommended for confirmed and presumptive cases, quarantine is recommended for contacts of confirmed or presumptive cases.  Currently, staff is supporting over 280 total contacts.  This number represents a snapshot of the significant amount of work being done by our county and our public health to help control the spread of COVID-19.

 

Getting Tested & Testing Clinics

The next drive-through testing clinic is Today, Friday, October 23, 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 1682 people tested in 83 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 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.

 

COVID-19 Travel Caution: Please 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.

 

 

Facebook Live with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer

Join us Today, Friday, October 23, 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 pageIn the meantime, check out Dr. Bob’s latest video with his creative ‘Trick-or-Treat’ candy delivery system.  As always, please remember be safe and be kind. https://www.facebook.com/DouglasPublicHealthNetwork/videos/661129401468910/

 

Food Security and Farmworker Safety Funds Application Deadline Sunday, October 25

Shared from OHA. Oregon’s agriculture producers have a few days left to submit an application for Food Security & Farmworker Safety funds. Sunday, Oct. 25 is the last day to apply for reimbursement for eligible COVID-19 mitigation costs. Please visit: https://www.oregon.gov/oweb/fsfs/Pages/index.aspx for more information.

 

New Guidance Adds Protocols for Bowling Alleys and Skating Rinks

Shared from OHA.  OHA issued new Phase One Guidance for Bowling Alleys and Skating Rinks yesterday, Thursday, October 22, 2020. Bowling alleys and skating rinks were previously prohibited from opening in Phase One counties, and the new guidance addresses health and safety protocols specific to bowling alleys and skating rinks. OHA continues to look at other sectors that have unique characteristics and do not fit in guidance categories.

 

COVID-19 Housing Protections for Agricultural Workers Extended

Shared from Oregon.gov. Yesterday, Thursday, October 22, 2020, Oregon extended COVID-19 protections for agricultural workers in employer-provided housing through the off season. Executive Order 20-58 addresses requirements related to physical distancing, sanitation, and isolation in order to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among Oregon's agricultural workers, farmers and ranchers, and surrounding communities.  Executive Order 20-58 implements requirements that mirror provisions of Oregon OSHA’s temporary rules that are set to expire on October 24. The Governor’s Executive Order is in effect through April 30 while Oregon OSHA works to adopt permanent rules.  A full copy of Executive Order 20-58 is available here.

COVID-19 resources and financial assistance for Oregon’s agricultural producers and workers are available. For more information, visit:

 

Downtown Roseburg Neewollah 2020 Goes Virtual

Shared from Downtown Roseburg Association.  The Downtown Roseburg Association has extended the deadline for the Neewollah Virtual Costume Parade contest to October 30! Visit bit.ly/neewollah2020 and submit a photo of your Halloween costume (from this year or a previous year) to be entered to WIN one of 10 Grand Prizes. This virtual costume contest is open to all ages. ?Y?NLG?Y?NLG?Y?NLG Winners will be randomly selected on Halloween day, October 31! ?Y?NLG?Y?NLG?Y?NLG. 

 

This October the 52ND Annual Neewollah Parade is going virtual. Roseburg Town Center hosts a virtual costume parade for all ages, beginning October 17, 2020. Participants can submit a photo of their creative Halloween costume at bit.ly/neewollah2020 from October 17 to October 26, 2020. Approved submissions are automatically entered to win one of ten Grand Prizes announced on Halloween, October 31, 2020. A gallery of all entries will display online so everyone can see each other’s Halloween creativity. In addition to the virtual costume contest, on October 30 from 2pm – 6pm bring your kids by the Roseburg Town Center office at 612 SE Jackson St, Suite 2 to pick up free Trick-or- Treat bags for the kids. Trick-or-Treat bags are first come, first serve to the first 2,000 kids.  Social distancing protocols will be in place, and please wear your mask.  Downtown Roseburg hosts the Neewollah Parade each Halloween in the center of downtown. Every year thousands of kids attend the event with their parents. 2020 marks the 52ND year for Neewollah and given the pandemic and consideration of all safety precautions, the event looks a bit different. In 2020, Neewollah is reimagined as a community-wide virtual costume parade, and a Halloween treat bag pick-up for the kiddos.

 

This year the event is designed to be socially distant, and we partnered with the Douglas County Board of Commissioners who have been tasked with addressing this pandemic in our community.” -Todd Boyd, Roseburg Town Center Co-President

 

The Douglas County Board of Commissioner are proud to support organizations that are working outside the box to create COVID-conscience environments for their annual events during this worldwide pandemic. We applaud the efforts of the downtown Roseburg Association in fashioning a virtual Neewollah parade format this year that will help to keep this annual Halloween tradition alive.” – Commissioner Tim Freeman.

 

Find the 2020 Neewollah event poster attached, which provides all the specific event details. In addition to the title sponsor, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress, a special thank you to this year’s sponsors: Aviva Health, Paul L. Bentley Architect, Umpqua Bank, Pacific Power, Hawks & Co. Realtors, Spirit of Halloween, Roseburg Senior Center, i.e. ENGINEERING, and Bell Sister Flats.  Happy Halloween!

 

Umpqua Community College Announces Positive Case

Shared from the UCC.  In a notice posted to their Facebook page yesterday, Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 2:58 pm, Umpqua Community College officials, announced that they were notified by DPHN and Dr. Dannenhoffer, our Douglas County Public Health Officer, that a student at UCC has tested positive for COVID-19.  Officials at UCC have been proactive in their approach in dealing with this event to help mitigate the spread of the virus.  Below is a copy of the notice that was posted yesterday:

 

“We have been notified that a UCC student has tested positive for COVID-19. We are sharing this message with all members of the community to provide awareness. The student last attended a class on campus on Friday, Oct. 16. The student is currently quarantined at home. Out of an abundance of caution, 9 other classmates and the instructor are also in quarantine. It is important to note that if you were exposed to this positive case, you would have been notified by now.

 

We greatly appreciate our community’s continued care for each other, and your willingness to navigate the many disruptions to protect the health and safety of our College. We continue to urge everyone to continue doing their part: Stay healthy, physical distance, wear a face covering, and conduct self-wellness checks. If you are sick, stay home.”

 

UCC is appreciative of the quick response, collaborative efforts, and good advice from county health experts that helps keep us all safe and healthy,” commented Dr. Debra Thatcher, President of Umpqua Community College.

 

For reference: The Oregon Health Authority issues a weekly COVID-19 report that publishes data on schools with in-person instruction, child/day care centers, businesses and care facilities that meet their outbreak criteria.  The cut off for that report is Sunday each week, so this event will not be listed until their Wednesday, October 28, 2020 report.  As of last week, OHA’s policy related to school outbreaks is to report outbreaks with 1 or more cases in school settings at any place of learning for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, or a subset, with at least 30 students enrolled. Case counts include all persons linked to the outbreak (epilinks), which may include household members or other close contacts of cases, and not just employees, staff or students at the school. According to OHA, the notice is to inform the public of potential COVID-19 exposure and to provide transparency surrounding COVID-19 in schools. School is defined as any place of learning for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, or a subset, with at least 30 students enrolled. This includes, but is not limited to, public schools, private schools, parochial and charter schools. Staff is defined as any person who works full time or part-time at the school, regardless of their position. A volunteer is defined as any person who volunteers onsite.  OHA attributes cases through use of what, they define as an epidemiological link or an epilink. An epilink is a place or person or a group who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 have in common, such as a school, workplace, facility or family member. When OHA declares a school or care facility outbreak, which it does on a weekly basis, it does not mean that the location was the source of the outbreak, only that the worksite is the shared “epilink.”

 

REMINDER: Aviva Health: North Douglas County Free Flu Shot Clinics

Shared from Aviva Health. Flu season is upon us and the Aviva Health’s North County Clinic will be hosting free, no appointment necessary flu shot clinics on Friday, October 23, 2020, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and again on Saturday, October 24, 2020 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The Aviva Health North County Clinic is located at 316 West A Avenue in Drain. Click here for the event flyer. For more information about the free flu shot clinics contact Aviva Health at (541) 672-9596, or by email at info@aviva.health or by logging onto their website at www.aviva.health or their social media at www.facebook.com/avivahealthor

 

REMINDER: Drive-Thru Flu Clinic October 30 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Douglas Public Health Network, partnering with emergency management and medical personnel from around Douglas County, will be conducting a second drive-thru point of dispensing (POD) emergency preparedness exercise to practice rapid dispensing of medications during a public health emergency on Friday, October 30, 2020 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.  The first exercise was on October 16, 2020.  The exercise will include dispensing free flu vaccines to community members 6 months and older to the first 300 participants each day.  If a widespread disease or other emergency were to occur, it may be necessary for the local health department to activate PODs to dispense large amounts of vaccinations, antibiotics or other medicines to the community. This POD exercise is a great opportunity or community members to get vaccinated against the flu and be involved in emergency preparedness planning in Douglas County.  POD participants will receive a free flu vaccination administered by area health professionals. They will remain socially distanced in their vehicle throughout the exercise. During the event, participants will be directed through the exercise with local officials and community volunteers. They will be asked to complete a brief intake form, receive medical screening if indicated, proceed to a vaccination station for a free flu vaccine and then exit the exercise. The intake form may be completed and printed prior to arrival by using the Dispense Assist website at https://www.dispenseassist.net/flu.html.  These exercises help our community prepare for public health emergencies and are in partnership with several local and state agencies including Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Oregon Health Authority, Aviva Health, Mercy Medical Center, Umpqua Community College and Red Cross.

 

REMINDER: Aviva Health Offering Veterans Free Flu Shots at 2020 Veterans’ Day Parade

Shared from Aviva Health. Aviva Health is providing area veterans free flu shots at this year’s Douglas County Veterans’ Day Parade Wednesday, November 11, at 11:00 am. Organizers of this year’s event are planning a reverse parade, where floats and other elements of the parade will remain stationary while visitors to the event drive by them in their cars. Proper social distancing and masking guidelines will be followed to protect people from COVID-19.  Aviva Health typically hosts a Veterans’ Day event at its Roseburg campus called Vets and Their Pets, but the pandemic forced the organization to cancel this year’s festivities. Still, Aviva Health intends to honor and assist those who have served in a meaningful way. 

 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

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 the Business Oregon's Navigator Hotline at (833) 604-0880.  For information on COVID-19 in Oregon, call 211 or visit 211info

 

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 or OLCC (503) 872-5000 or OLCC website

 

###

 

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

Attached Media Files: DCCRT
View more news releases from Douglas Co. Government.