Douglas County COVID-19 Update - September 29, 2021 (Photo) -09/29/21
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021
DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE #634
(Douglas County, Ore.) A QUICK LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AS OF WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021
Total Number of New Local COVID-19 Cases | Total Number of Residents Currently Hospitalized | Total Number of Hospitalized Patients that are NOT Fully Vaccinated** |
73* | 67 | 58 of the 67 |
*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.
| THE PHYSICIANS ASSOCIATION OF DOUGLAS COUNTY SHARED A LETTER WITH THE COMMUNITY |
We would like to share a letter that was released earlier this week from our health care partners with the Douglas County Independent Practitioners Association (DCIPA). The names listed below the letter are local health care professionals that support the statements made in the letter regarding COVID-19. The list of 118 supporting health care professionals is current as of 11:30 am today. DCIPA has received a tremendous amount of support from the local medical community for this letter, and is continuing to add physicians names as requests are received.
September 27, 2021
Dear Patients and Neighbors,
Douglas County’s community of healthcare providers are being tested like never before. COVID-19 is a unique and devastating disease that is causing death and suffering like none of us has ever seen. We’ve watched hospital beds and the ICU overflow with patients, elective procedures cancelled, and healthcare resources become scarce. This is undeniably deadlier than the worst flu year for a hundred years and it continues to get worse. As members of this community, we and our families are getting sick too. It is heartbreaking to see patients fall critically ill and being unable to save them, and to know that those who are admitted to the ICU may not ever walk out. It is discouraging to see our warnings and entreaties continue to go unheeded or contradicted, which has led to our county becoming one of the sickest in the nation.
We strongly support the use of vaccines as the best protection against COVID-19. Vaccines clearly prevent the worst manifestations of this terrible disease. There is nothing more disheartening than to see patients struggling with serious complications that could have been prevented. Improving vaccination rates will free up our hospital resources, allowing our patients to get the elective surgeries and other care they need. Vaccines will also help end the economic devastation this pandemic has brought to our community. Professional medical societies have unanimously spoken out in support of vaccination.
We strongly oppose the use of unproven treatments for COVID-19 that are not effective and put our patients at risk for unnecessary complications. We also oppose the promotion of these experimental treatments in a way that obscures the risks and exaggerates the potential benefits. It is inappropriate and unethical to subject patients to experimental treatments without informed consent and outside of randomized controlled trials. As healthcare providers we are obligated to heed the guidelines of our professional organizations and to use the best evidence available to guide the treatment of our patients.
We strongly support the use of masks indoors and in crowded areas by all who can wear them. Masks reduce the spread of the virus and reduce the risks for everyone.
We support and applaud the efforts of our local public health officials who have worked tirelessly to protect and educate our community. They have faced incredible challenges and yet remain committed to the challenge. We will continue to follow their guidance and support them in the measures they have enacted to protect our community.
We, the physicians of Douglas County, share the commitments we’ve outlined above. Standing in solidarity against this pandemic will strengthen our resolve to continue our work in the face of continued tragedy for our community and our patients.
Respectfully,
Michael Krnacik, MD, PhD, DCIPA Board Chairman
Bart Bruns, MD, DCIPA CEO
Sarah Agsten, DO
Hennie Abrio, MD
Faye Ameredes, DO
Tyler Andrews, MD
Kate Bayliss, MD
Jacob Benford, MD
Heidi Beery, MD
Phillip Benedetti, MD
Joseph M. Black, MD
Diane Bolduc, MD
Kurt Brickner, DO
Gregory S. Brigham, PhD, ABPP
Gary Bronstein, MD
Craig Brooksby, MD
Bart Bruns, MD
Leonardo Campos, MD
Erin Cassidy, NP
Julia Coppi, MD
Jeff Croy, MD
Bob Dannenhoffer, MD
Kevin Dean, MD
Kanani Dilcher, MD
Gerald Engstrom, MD
Joshua Fisher, MD, MPH, MSc
Shelli Flynn, MD
Steven Follett, MD
Wade Fox, MD
Michael Fucci, DO
Jay Gade, MD
Tim Gladding, MD
Sylvia Gosline, MD
Razvan Gosman, MD
Andrea Gray, MD
Jason Gray, MD
Aric Groshong, MD
Anjali Gupta, MD
Wilson Gutierrez, MD
Allen Hack, MD
Bret Hansen, MD
Emmanuelle Hebert, FNP
Marie Hebert, MD
Rachel Hebert, FNP
Luke Herscher, DO
Lisa Hobart, PA-C
Travis Inglis, DO
Laurentiu Istrate, MD
Neha Jain, MD
Chris Jannelli, MD
Gerry Jaworski, MD
Jens Johansson, DO
Angela Jones, MD
Layne Jorgensen, DO
Faarina Khan, MD
Ovais Khan, MD
Robert Kloepper, MD
Michael Krnacik, MD, PhD
Arul Krishnan, MD
Anna Kulacz, MPH, PA-C
Neil Kumar, MD
Doug Larson, MD
Elliott Lange, MD
Joel Lee, MD
Michael Llewellyn, MD
George Middlekauff, MD
Marti Mitchell, DO
Glen Monteiro, MD, MPH
Subhajit Mukherjee, MD, PhD
Jenni Nix, MD
Siobhan O’Reilly, MD, MPH
Jolanta Olson, MD
Eric Ory, MD
Edward Ottenheimer, MD
Sandesh Pandit, MD
Britain Parrish, MD
Michael Peterson, PA-C
Claire Pollard, MD
Clem Pope, PA-C
Mark Ramirez, MD
Jay Richards, DO
Julee Richards, MD
David Rickman, MD
April Riverland, PA-C
Brad Robinson, MD
Rishi Saigal, MD
Cary Sanders, MD
Preeti Satyanarayana, MD
Christine Seals, MD
Brad Seely, MD
Cody Seeley, DO
Polly Sepulvado, MD
Linda Sewell, MD
Alex Shaffer, PA-C
Marcus Sickelton, PA-C
Pushpinder Singh, NP
Brent Soder, MD
Chris Spence, MD
Chris Smith, MD
Cordell Smith, DPM
Ahmad B. Stanackzai, MD, MBA
Clayton Stuart, DO
Anandita Tiwari, MD
Keneilwe Tlaang, MD
Rodney Todd, MD
Micah Tovey, DPM
William Townsend, MD
Sharon Trammell, PA
John Traul, MD
Courtney Virgilio, MD
Vanessa Vu, MD, PhD, CASC
Victor Wallenkampf, MD
Jonathan Waller, MD, MPH
Simran Waller, MD MPH
Jerry Warren, MD
Joshua Weese, MD
Kaylan Weese, MD
Jason Wilks, DPM
Steven Williams, MD
Susan Williams, MD
| COVID-19 UPDATE FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 |
As of 12:00 pm today, Wednesday, September 29, 2021, there are SEVENTY-THREE (73) people with new positive test results and FOUR (4) new COVID-19 related deaths to report bringing the total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 11,218*. Currently, there are SIXTY-SEVEN (67) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, forty-five locally and twenty-two 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: 11 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) and 18 BiPAP’s (Non-invasive ventilation for breathing support) machines are currently in use, 12 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 6 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 34% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized cases today, FIFTY-EIGHT (58) patients out of the 67 patients are not fully vaccinated.
| COVID-19 RECAP FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 |
On Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had EIGHTY-NINE (89) people with new positive test results, ONE (1) new presumptive and FOUR (4) 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 11,145*. We had SIXTY-SIX (66) Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, forty-three locally and twenty-three 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: 16 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) and 12 BiPAP’s (Non-invasive ventilation for breathing support) machines are currently in use, 13 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 6 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 37% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized cases on Tuesday, FIFTY-SEVEN (57) patients out of the 66 patients are not fully vaccinated.
| COVID-19 RELATED DEATHS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS |
Douglas County Public Health has confirmed the deaths of eight more Douglas County residents related to the COVID-19 virus. Our two hundred and eighth COVID-19 related death was a 51-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Sunday, August 15, 2021 and passed away on Sunday, September 26, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and ninth COVID-19 related death was a 69-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, September 13, 2021 and passed away on Thursday, September 23, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and tenth COVID-19 related death was an 81-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, September 13, 2021 and passed away on Monday, September 20, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and eleventh COVID-19 related death was an 83-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, March 1, 2021 and passed away on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. We were notified by State Vital Records of the death on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. She was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and twelfth COVID-19 related death was a 43-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, August 30, 2021 and passed away on Friday, September 24, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and thirteenth COVID-19 related death was a 58-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday, August 31, 2021 and passed away on Monday, September 27, 2021. She was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and fourteenth COVID-19 related death was a 93-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday, August 26, 2021 and passed away on Friday, September 3, 2021. We were notified by State Vital Records of the death on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and fifteenth COVID-19 related death was a 95-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, August 20, 2021 and passed away on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. We were notified by State Vital Records of the death on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. She was not vaccinated. In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of these residents, 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.
Douglas County, OR - COVID-19 - Case Update Chart** | |||||
| Date | Saturday, September 25, 2021 | Sunday, September 26, 2021 | Monday, September 27, 2021 | Tuesday, September 28, 2021 | Wednesday, September 29, 2021 |
| Total COVID-19 Cases | 11,024 | 11,037 | 11,055 | 11,145 | 11,218 |
| People w/ Positive PCR or Antigen Test Results | 10,697 | 10,708 | 10,725 | 10,814 | 10,887 |
| Presumptive | 327 | 329 | 330 | 331 | 331 |
| Total Currently Hospitalized | 75 | 75 | 77 | 66 | 67 |
| Total COVID-19 Related Deaths | 206 | 207 | 207 | 211 | 215 |
**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.
| COVID RELATED DEATHS HAVE EQUALED THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS WHO DIED AS A RESULT OF THE SPANISH INFLUENZA PANDEMIC IN 1918-19 |
Shared from Associated Press (Authored by: Carla K. Johnson, September 20, 2021). COVID-19 related deaths (2020-21) have now accounted for about as many American lives as the 1918-19 Spanish influenza pandemic did — approximately 675,000. The U.S. population a century ago was just one-third of what it is today, meaning the flu cut a much bigger, more lethal swath through the country. Historians think the Spanish Flu pandemic started in Kansas in early 1918, and by winter 1919 the virus had infected a third of the global population and killed at least 50 million people, including 675,000 Americans. Some estimates put the toll as high as 100 million worldwide.
The current status of the COVID-19 crisis is by any measure a colossal tragedy in its own right, especially given the incredible advances in scientific knowledge in the last 100 years, and the failure of some Americans to take maximum advantage of the vaccines available at this time.
“Big pockets of American society — have essentially cast the reality of the virus, the scientific data and the vaccine aside,” remarked medical historian Dr. Howard Markel of the University of Michigan of the opportunity to have vaccinated everyone who is eligible by now.
Like the Spanish flu, scientists and medical professionals are sadly predicting that the coronavirus may never entirely disappear from our midst. Instead, scientists hope it becomes a mild seasonal bug as human immunity strengthens through vaccination and repeated infection. However, that, like this virus will take time to run its course. An optimistic scenario is that this could happen over a few years, but more likely over a few decades. For now, the pandemic still has the United States and other parts of the world firmly in its jaws. While the delta-fueled surge in infections may have peaked, U.S. deaths are running at over 1,900 a day on average, the highest level since early March, and the country’s overall death toll topped 675,000 on Monday, September 20, 2021, according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University, though the real number is believed to be much, much higher.
| STATE AND FEDERAL COVID-19 INFORMATION |
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.
| ACCESS TO LOCAL COVID-19 RESOURCES |
💻 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.
UPDATED: 👨⚕️ Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center: Free medical COVID testing available through Friday, October 8, 2021. Testing will be held via drive-thru clinics Monday through Friday ONLY 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 and available to all community members on a first-come first-served basis. Those accessing this service should be prepared for a minimum of a 30-minute wait time. 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. Please note that Cow Creek testing and vaccination sites will be CLOSED on Monday, October 11, 2021 in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day. Effective Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center will no longer offer community testing. Testing will be available by appointment only 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. Free Community Vaccinations: COVID Vaccines are administered via drive-thru clinics Monday through Friday ONLY in Roseburg at 2360 NE Stephens Street from 9:00 am to 3:45 pm. The last vaccine will be administered at 3:45 pm. You must be 18 years or older to receive the vaccine. During the month of October, the vaccine site will transition to a Public Health Site at Seven Feathers Casino Resort in the South Parking Lot and vaccines will be by appointment only. Please call (541) 670-2949 to schedule an appointment after that move has been made. 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.
🏥 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.
###
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
