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 25, 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, Sunday, October 25, 2020, there is ONE person with a new positive test result, ONE new presumptive and sadly TWO deaths since our noon case update yesterday. The total number of cases (people with positive test results and presumptive) in Douglas County is now at 349*. Currently, there are THREE Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized. One Douglas County patient is being hospitalized out of the area, and two Douglas County patients are being hospitalized locally.
Sixth and Seventh COVID-19 Related Deaths of Douglas County Residents
Our Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, has confirmed the deaths of our sixth and seventh Douglas County residents from the COVID-19 virus. Our sixth COVID related death is a 66-year-old woman who passed away yesterday, Saturday, October 24, 2020 in Roseburg, Oregon. She tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, October 19, 2020. In the interest of privacy for the individual’s loved ones, no additional information will be released. Our seventh COVID related death is a 61-year-old man who passed away today, Sunday, October 25, 2020 in Roseburg, Oregon. He tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, October 19, 2020. In the interest of privacy for the individual’s loved ones, no additional information will be released.
Each death related to COVID-19 is painful for all Douglas County residents, and a reminder of the terrible impact COVID-19 has had in our local communities. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN staff and the DCCRT Team extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all family members, friends, relatives, co-workers and community members of those who have passed after contracting this deadly virus.
“Today is a tremendously sad day with the report of two more deaths of Douglas County residents from the COVID-19 virus. To the family and friends of these beloved community members, on behalf of my family, my fellow Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN staff and the DCCRT team, we send our sincere condolences and prayers,” commented Commissioner Tim Freeman. “Again, we are reminded of the fact that this virus is still actively spreading in our communities. We cannot stress enough the importance of staying vigilant in protecting yourselves, the ones you love and all of our communities from the continued spread this deadly virus!”
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Douglas County, OR - COVID-19 - Case Update |
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Date |
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 |
Thursday, October 22, 2020 |
Friday, October 23, 2020 |
Saturday, October 24, 2020 |
Today, Sunday, October 25, 2020 |
|
Total COVID-19 Cases |
333 |
341 |
342 |
347 |
349 |
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People with Positive PCR or Antigen Test Results |
298 |
303 |
304 |
308 |
309 |
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Presumptive |
35 |
38 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
|
Total Currently Hospitalized |
5 |
4 |
6 |
5 |
3 |
|
Total Currently in Isolation |
45 |
49 |
50 |
50 |
49 |
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Total COVID-19 Related Deaths |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
7 |
|
Total Negative Test Results |
14,930 |
15,049 |
15,108 |
15,217 |
15,301 |
*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.
Please Help Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 In Douglas County
During the difficult times of this pandemic, like today with the loss of two more cherished residents, the DCCRT Team, under the direction of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, along with Dr. Dannenhoffer and Douglas Public Health Network, want to again remind residents of the importance of being kind to one another and in taking extra care in helping us to slow the spread of COVID-19. We know we keep reiterating this same message, but our primary focus is to do everything we can to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our citizens. With the onset of cold/flu season, holidays approaching, schools returning to in-person instruction, people clamoring for social activities and parents expressing remote teaching fatigue, it’s important that everyone stay true with the very simplest of 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.
CHANGES COMING TO FACEBOOK Q&A WITH DR. BOB DANNENHOFFER
Starting the week of October 26, 2020, Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer and DPHN will be making changes to the days and formats for our COVID-19 Facebook Video broadcasts featuring Dr. Bob. The videos will now be pre-recorded, and will aired on Facebook on Friday nights at 6:00 pm. Residents will still be able to submit questions to Dr. Bob, but we now ask that you email your questions to us at: Facebookquestions@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org. Dr. Bob and team will do their best to respond to as many questions as they can in their weekly video recording.
So, please join us on Friday, October 30, 2020 for our new weekly COVID Q&A Video with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, your Douglas County Public Health Officer at 6:00 pm, hosted by DPHN and found on the DPHN Facebook page.
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 49 cases in isolation, as well as another 251 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 300 total contacts in isolation/quarantine. 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 Tuesday, October 27, 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 1698 people tested in 84 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.
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.
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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.
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
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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