Weekly Case Chart

DOUGLAS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE #630

(Douglas County, Ore.) A QUICK LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AS OF MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

*Our COVID quick look includes the total number of new cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives. **We follow the CDC definition for fully vaccinated, which states that a fully vaccinated person is someone who has received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose.

As of 12:00 pm today, Monday, September 20, 2021, there are THIRTY-NINE (39) people with new positive test results to report bringing the total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 10,739*. Currently, there are EIGHTY-EIGHT (88) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, sixty-two locally and twenty-six out-of-the-area, including one that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 22 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) and 8 BiPAP’s (Non-invasive ventilation for breathing support) machines are currently in use, 15 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 13 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU).  49% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive.  Of our hospitalized cases today, SEVENTY-EIGHT (78) patients out of the 88 patients are not fully vaccinated. 

On Saturday, September 18, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had THIRTY-NINE (39) people with new positive test results, THREE (3) new presumptive and THREE (3) new COVID-19 related deaths to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 10,662*. We had EIGHTY-FOUR (84)Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, sixty-two locally and twenty-two out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here.  We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 20 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support), 15 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 13 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 41% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive.  Of our hospitalized cases on Saturday, SEVENTY-SIX (76) patients out of the 84 patients are not fully vaccinated.

On Sunday, September 19, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had THIRTY-EIGHT (38) people with new positive test results to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 10,700*. We had EIGHTY-EIGHT (88)Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, sixty-two locally and twenty-six out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here.  We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 21 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) and 7 BiPAP’s (Non-invasive ventilation for breathing support) machines are currently, 14 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 12 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 47% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive.  Of our hospitalized cases on Sunday, SEVENTY-EIGHT (78) patients out of the 88 patients are not fully vaccinated.

Douglas County Public Health has confirmed the deaths of three more Douglas County residents related to the COVID-19 virus.  Our one hundred and eighty-six COVID-19 related death was a 50-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, August 16, 2021 and passed away on Friday, September 17, 2021. He was not vaccinated.  Our one hundred and eighty-seven COVID-19 related death was a 46-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday, August 26, 2021 and passed away on Saturday, September 18, 2021. She was not vaccinated.  Our one hundred and eighty-eight COVID-19 related death was an 83-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 and passed away on Friday, September 17, 2021. He was fully vaccinated.  In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of this resident, and as our ethical responsibility to follow all medical laws, no additional information will be released.  We thoroughly scrutinize and investigate all deaths, and review all medical records to make sure that everyone we report has met the requirements for a COVID related death, as per the Oregon Disease Investigative Guidelines for COVID-19.  Each death related to COVID-19 is painful for all Douglas County residents, and a sad reminder of the terrible impact COVID-19 has had in our local communities. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN 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.

**Our COVID case update includes the total number of cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives, as well as a breakout of those case numbers. 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. 

(See the Douglas County Weekly Case Tracking Chart through Saturday, September 18, 2021 attached below)

The good news is that Douglas County’s weekly COVID-19 new case numbers are trending down.  The surge of cases (which include both positive test results and presumptives) peaked in Douglas County the week of August 21, 2021 with 1,274 cases.  In the four weeks since the peak, weekly case numbers have continued to decline.  The week ending on Saturday, September 18, 2021, there 436 new cases, which is about a third of the new cases reported at our peak in August.  But, Douglas County is not out of the woods yet.  Case numbers are still very high comparatively. It’s important to note that the number of local residents that were hospitalized due to COVID-19 peaked on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, with 113 hospitalizations.  However, Douglas County still has 88 local residents that are being hospitalized due to COVID-19 as of today, Monday, September 20, 2021. This number remains very worrisome. We continue to encourage residents to stay home if they are sick, limit travel, avoid large indoor gatherings, minimize contact with others outside your immediate household, wash and sanitize your hands frequently, wear a face covering where recommended and talk with your primary care physician about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. 

The Federal and State Governments, and their agencies are the ones that set policy, issue mandates and provide the guidelines for a state of emergency like the current COVID pandemic. For information log onto U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  If you have questions about the current guidelines, mandates or the recommendations, please contact them directly for more information. OHA posts their daily updates at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. Please do not call 911, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or Douglas County Offices to report issues with the State of Oregon, OHA or the Governor’s mandates. 

💻 Local Online Access to Updates: Stay up to date with accurate and local COVID-19 information by visiting the Douglas County Government Website or DCGOV Facebook page or the DPHN Website or DPHN Facebook page.  

📝 Free Local e-Newsletter Subscription: You can also sign up for the free Douglas County e-Newsletter that publishes and sends out the update to our subscription base. Log onto: www.co.douglas.or.us. 

📞 Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline (541) 464-6550: Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners and DPHN continue to offer a local resource hotline for Douglas County residents for COVID-19. The hotline provides answers to frequently asked questions, basic COVID information and referrals to local resources and services. Our local hotline number is (541) 464-6550 and is staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week. 

🔍 DPHN Vaccine Information: Want more information on the vaccines? Log onto: http://DougCoVaccine.com.

🔍 DPHN Informational Videos: Check out DPHN’s YouTube Channel for informational videos about COVID-19.

🐯 Douglas County Tiger Team: The Tiger Team organizes our county-wide COVID-19 vaccine program via free pop-up vaccine clinics, with Umpqua Valley Ambulance, who provide a certified vaccinator and medical assistant.  The clinics are open to anyone 18 years of age and older, and preregistration is not required. Click here for the calendar of upcoming clinics or call (541) 670-3110 or (541) 464-6550, if you are interested in having team come to your location.

👩‍⚕️ Aviva Health: Offering free drive-through COVID-19 vaccination and testing services to all symptomatic residents, as well as registered Aviva Health patients who are asymptomatic.  No appointment needed.  Patients must be Douglas County residents and be 12 years of age or older***.  The drive-through is located at 4221 NE Stephens Street, Suite 101A in Roseburg and is open M-F: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.  Vaccinations are also available on a limited basis at Aviva Health’s outlying clinics in North County, Sutherlin, Glide, and Myrtle Creek. People seeking vaccinations at their outlying clinics should call (541) 672-9596, to determine availability. For more information please visit www.aviva.health/covid-19-resources/.  Aviva also has an online COVID FAQ page with answers to frequently asked questions. 

🏥 Lower Umpqua Hospital District: Lower Umpqua Hospital District has a COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center for COVID-19 vaccine information in the Reedsport area. Call (541) 271-2175, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. 👨‍⚕️ Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center: Effective Monday, September 13, ALL COVID Testing will be held via drive thru clinics in Roseburg at 2360 NE Stephens Street, and at the South Clinic in Canyonville at 480 Wartahoo Lane from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. The last test will be administered at 12:45 pm. Testing is free, available for all community members and done on a first-come first-served basis.  Those accessing this service should be prepared for a minimum of a 30-minute wait time. This testing is for medical diagnostic purposes to assist exposed and symptomatic individuals only; all individuals being tested will be asked to self-attest they are being tested for medical purposes only.  Effective Monday, September 20, ALL COVID-19 vaccinations will be administered at the Public Health Site at Seven Feathers Casino Resort, South Parking Lot by appointment only, please call (541) 670-2949 to schedule an appointment. You must be 18 years or older to receive the vaccine.  If you are waiting to receive a COVID booster from Cow Creek Public Health, call and ask to be placed on a list, and they will call you to schedule your booster when available.  In addition, effective Monday, October 11, 2021, Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center will no longer offer community testing. They will be transitioning back to the clinic based COVID-19 testing model at both locations.  Testing will be available by appointment for Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center patients, Tribal Members, Employees of Cow Creek Government Offices and affiliated businesses at the new Roseburg Clinic at 2589 NW Edenbower Blvd and the South Clinic in Canyonville at 480 Wartahoo Lane.

🏥 Roseburg VA Health Care System: Veterans can set up an appointment COVID-19 vaccine, by calling the Roseburg VAMC at (541) 440-1000.

👵 Douglas County Senior Services can help seniors with questions, find testing and vaccines at (541) 440-3677.

***Please note for residents ages 12 to 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine.  Written consent can also be obtained in advance. Under Oregon law, minors 15 years of age and older may consent to medical treatment, including vaccinations, when provided by a physician, physician assistant, naturopath, nurse practitioner, dentist or optometrist, or other professionals operating under the license of these providers; however, families are encouraged to make decisions about vaccinations together.

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Contact Tamara Howell, Douglas County Public Information Officer & Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist | Phone: (541) 670-2804 | Cell: (541) 957-4896 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us 

Contact Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer, Douglas Public Health Network – Cell: (541) 817-6552 – Email: vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org