August 12, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 258 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 7 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed seven more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 375, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 258 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 22,022.

The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (4), Clackamas (24), Columbia (2), Deschutes (1), Douglas (3), Harney (1), Hood River (4), Jackson (14), Jefferson (5), Josephine (4), Lane (10), Lincoln (2), Linn (7), Malheur (17), Marion (29), Morrow (2), Multnomah (45), Polk (4), Umatilla (30), Wallowa (1), Wasco (1), Washington (41), and Yamhill (5).

Oregon’s 369th COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on June 17 and died on August 10 at Good Shepherd Health System. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 370th COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on August 6 and died on August 8. Location of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 371st COVID-19 death is a 70-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 15 and died on August 9 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 372nd COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 30 and died on August 11 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 373rd COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on August 6 and died on August 10 at Kaiser Westside Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 374th COVID-19 death is a 57-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 17 and died on August 9 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 375th COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 6 and died on August 2 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

COVID-19 cases declined last week

Daily cases of COVID-19 declined slightly during the week of Monday, Aug. 3 through Sunday Aug. 9, according to the COVID-19 Weekly Report, released today. There were 2,122 new cases that week, a slight drop from the previous week’s tally of 2,278. Twenty-nine deaths were reported, a drop from 39 the previous week.

The percentage of positive tests also decreased to 5.4%, and hospitalizations have plateaued. The age group most affected by the virus remains 20-29, although the elderly remain the hardest hit age group. Persons 80 or older account for nearly half of all those hospitalized.

Most cases continue to be sporadic, meaning there is no known source, which is an indication the virus is widespread.

Outbreaks surpass 20 cases

An outbreak of 22 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Pan American Berry Growers in Marion County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to an employee.

The outbreak investigation started on July 30, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure.

An outbreak of 29 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Good Shepherd Health Care System in Umatilla County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to an employee.

The outbreak investigation started on July 16, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure. State and county public health officials are working with these organizations to address the outbreaks and protect the health of workers.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

August 11, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 302 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 11 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed 11 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 368, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 302 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 21,774.

The new cases are in the following counties: Benton (3), Clackamas (23), Clatsop (4), Columbia (5), Crook (1), Curry (2), Deschutes (5), Douglas (5), Hood River (8), Jackson (12), Jefferson (6), Josephine (9), Klamath (3), Lane (6), Lincoln (2), Linn (12), Malheur (19), Marion (42), Morrow (6), Multnomah (60), Polk (5), Umatilla (16), Union (1), Wasco (2), Washington (41), and Yamhill (4).

Note: OHA receives death certificate information from the Office of Vital Statistics. Epidemiologists review death certificate information for Oregonians that have COVID-19 listed as a main cause of death or a contributing cause of death. When a death is reported to a county, the county may not always have the cause of death, and this death would not be counted as a COVID-19 related death. During data reconciliation by OHA, additional COVID-19 related deaths may be found and reported. The deaths reported today include eight deaths that were identified during this review process.

Oregon’s 358th COVID-19 death is a 59-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on May 22 and died on August 7 at OHSU. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 359th COVID-19 death is a 105-year-old woman in Clackamas County who died on July 5, in her residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease, or SARS-CoV-2, as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death.

Oregon’s 360th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old woman in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 23 and died on August 8 in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 361st COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on May 7 and died on July 27 in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 362nd COVID-19 death is a 71-year-old woman in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 23 and died on August 5 in her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 363rd COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on August 3 and died on August 8 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 364th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old man in Linn County who tested positive on April 7 and died on June 10 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 365th COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on May 31 and died on June 14 at Kaiser Westside Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 366th COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on June 16 and died on June 30 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 367th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 27 and died on July 7 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had no reported underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 368th COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on April 8 and died on July 12 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Outbreak surpasses 20 cases

An outbreak of 25 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Smith Foods in Umatilla County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to an employee.

The outbreak investigation started on July 24, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure. State and county public health officials are working with the company to address the outbreak and protect the health of the workers.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

August 11, 2020

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

Health officials urge parents to get their children caught up on vaccines

Parents are understandably nervous about taking their children and teens to their doctors’ offices right now. As a result, children in Oregon are falling behind on their childhood vaccinations.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month and we want to work with families to ensure this pandemic is not followed by an increase in cases of vaccine-preventable diseases or a preventable outbreak.

"How students attend school is changing because of COVID-19," says Stacy de Assis Matthews, school immunization coordinator at OHA. "We want to make sure students are fully vaccinated, so they are protected in whatever form their school looks like: in a classroom, in a small group cohort, or online at home with their family."

Families have the power to protect their children against serious, potentially life-threatening diseases. Parents should talk to their child’s doctor or nurse about whether they have missed any routine vaccines.

Before rescheduling any upcoming childhood vaccination or well visit appointments, call the child’s health care provider to find out if the appointment can remain as scheduled and what precautions they are taking to keep everyone safe from COVID-19.

• Many health care providers’ offices are taking special precautions such as ensuring children who are well are kept separate from sick children.
• Many providers are limiting the number of people who can go with a child to their appointment and are taking temperatures of all family members before allowing them into the building.
• Some providers are providing drive-up vaccine programs.

With so many people out of work and without health insurance, it’s important to know you can still keep your child safe. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program offers free vaccines to families who cannot afford to pay for their children’s vaccines. Call 211 to find out more about VFC.

If your children need health insurance, they may be eligible for the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). It is open to all children and teens younger than 19, regardless of immigration status, who meet income and other criteria. Trained community partners across the state can help you fill out an application. It's free. Visit http://www.OHP.Oregon.gov to find community partners in your area.

Video links

A public health physician urges parents to keep their children up-to-date on vaccines during the pandemic: https://youtu.be/Pu8zooveHtI

A pediatrician explains precautions they are taking to keep families safe from COVID-19 when they take their children for their vaccines: https://youtu.be/-xHUzPKP0BA

August 10, 2020

Today, OHA released its Weekly Testing Summary which showed that the week of Aug. 2 – Aug. 8, 25,744 tests were reported. Of those tests, 1,380 or 5.4 percent were positive, down from the 6.3 percent rate a week earlier.

This week, OHA has begun using specimen collection date as our denominator for COVID-19 test results, including percentage positivity, across all of OHA’s reported testing data. This change means testing data will be reported based on the date/week in which specimens were collected. These products include the Tableau data dashboards summarizing percent positivity by county, the overall percent positivity in Oregon, the data for metrics relating to schools reopening, as well as this Weekly Testing Summary and the Weekly Report. The data in these various products will not shift significantly as a result of this change.

August 10, 2020

Odell Lake recreational use health advisory lifted August 10

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has lifted the recreational use health advisory issued for Odell Lake in Klamath County. The health authority issued the advisory July 22.

Water monitoring has confirmed that the level of cyanotoxins (harmful algae toxins) in Odell Lake are below recreational guideline values for human exposure. However, officials advise recreational visitors to be alert to signs of cyanobacterial (harmful algae) blooms, because blooms can develop and disappear on any lake through the season. Only a fraction of Oregon’s lakes and streams are monitored for cyanobacterial blooms.

People and especially small children and pets should avoid recreating in areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green or brownish red in color, if a thick mat of blue-green algae is visible in the water, or bright green cells are suspended in the water. If you see these signs avoid activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, such as swimming or high-speed water activities.

It’s possible cyanotoxins can still exist in clear water. Sometimes, cyanobacteria can move into another area, making water that once looked foamy, scummy or discolored now look clear. However, when a bloom dies elsewhere in the water body, it can release toxins that may reach into the clear water. There also are species of cyanobacteria that anchor themselves at the bottom of a water body, live in the sediment, or can grow on aquatic plants and release toxins into clear water near the surface.

For health information or to report an illness, contact the Oregon Health Authority at 971-673-0482.

Learn more here.

August 10, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 227 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 357, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 227 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 21,488. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (2), Clackamas (10), Columbia (1), Crook (2), Deschutes (7), Hood River (2), Jackson (8), Jefferson (11), Lane (5), Lincoln (2), Linn (3), Malheur (21), Marion (27), Morrow (15), Multnomah (45), Polk (6), Umatilla (15), Washington (37), and Yamhill (8).

Oregon’s 357th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 29 and died on August 5 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

August 9, 2020

Oregon reports 263 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 356, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 263 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 21,272.

The new cases are in the following counties: Clackamas (15), Columbia (2), Deschutes (8), Douglas (1), Hood River (7), Jackson (4), Jefferson (5), Josephine (1), Lane (6), Lincoln (2), Linn (4), Malheur (15), Marion (28), Morrow (3), Multnomah (66), Polk (1), Umatilla (40), Wasco (3), Washington (42), Yamhill (10).

Oregon’s 356th COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on August 2 and died on August 6, at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

See table below for total cases, deaths, and negative tests by county.

1This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases.

3This includes cases who test negative and are not epi-linked to a confirmed case.

August 8, 2020

Oregon reports 376 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 7 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed seven more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 355, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 376 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 21,010.

The new cases are in the following counties: Benton (5), Clackamas (23), Clatsop (1), Columbia (3), Coos (1), Crook (4), Curry (1), Deschutes (15), Douglas (2), Hood River (3), Jackson (12), Jefferson (9), Josephine (1), Lane (14), Lincoln (2), Linn (6), Malheur (14), Marion (47), Morrow (6), Multnomah (87), Polk (5), Sherman (2), Umatilla (27), Wasco (8), Washington (56), Yamhill (22).

Oregon’s 349th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on July 21 and died on August 5, at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 350th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on June 17 and died on July 19, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 351st COVID-19 death is a 47-year-old man in Umatilla County who died on July 14 in his residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2, as a cause of death or as a significant condition that contributed to his death. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 352nd COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 8 and died on July 28, at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 353rd COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 23 and died on August 7. Additional details of his death are still being confirmed.

Oregon’s 354th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on August 6 and died on August 7. Additional details of his death are still being confirmed.

Oregon’s 355th COVID-19 death is a 41-year-old man in Malheur County who tested positive on August 4 and died on August 5. Additional details of his death are still being confirmed.

There is additional information on Oregon’s 342nd COVID-19 death. He is an 80-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on July 15 and died on August 6, at Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford. He had underlying conditions

See table below for total cases, deaths, and negative tests by county.

1This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases.

3This includes cases who test negative and are not epi-linked to a confirmed case.

August 7, 2020

[Correction] - Oregon reports 423 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 9 new deaths

Correction: First sentence revised to reflect nine deaths reported today. 

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed nine more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 348, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today. 

Oregon Health Authority reported 423 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 20,636. The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (3), Clackamas (16), Clatsop (1), Columbia (2), Deschutes (18), Douglas (3), Grant (1), Hood River (3), Jackson (12), Jefferson (5), Josephine (3), Klamath (1), Lane (13), Lincoln (1), Linn (6), Malheur (21), Marion (47), Morrow (21), Multnomah (110), Polk (7), Umatilla (53), Union (2), Wasco (3), Washington (53), and Yamhill (17).

Oregon’s 340th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 30 and died on August 5. His place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 341st COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old woman in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 20 and died on July 31. Place of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 342nd COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on July 15 and died on August 6. His place of death is unavailable at this time. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 343rd COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old man in Jefferson County who tested positive on July 10 and died on August 5, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 344th COVID-19 death is a 64-year-old man in Klamath County who tested positive on July 27 and died on August 6, at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 345th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Malheur County who tested positive on July 28 and died on August 2 in his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 346th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on July 8 and died on August 5 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 347th COVID-19 death is 94-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 16 and died on August 4 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 348th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on July 28 and died on August 6. Place of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

New modeling report shows slowing spread of COVID 19 in Oregon

Today OHA released new modeling about the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon.

The model includes three future scenarios: one in which transmission continues at the current rate, one in which transmission decreases by 10 percent and one in which transmission increases by 10 percent.

The model projects that:

• If transmission continues at the current level during the next month, the estimated number of new daily infections will remain steady over the next four weeks at approximately 1,000 per day, and the number of daily new severe cases will increase slightly from 17 to 19.
• If transmission decreases by 10 percent and continues at that level during the next month, the model projects approximately 300 new infections per day and 9 new severe cases per day by Aug. 27.
• If transmission increases by 10 percent and continues at that level during the next month, the model projects approximately 2,300 new infections per day and 32 new severe cases per day by Aug. 27.

The results suggest that transmission increased substantially during May, then decreased somewhat in late June and early July. The model estimates the Re is currently about 1.0.

Despite the apparent leveling of transmission, the virus continues to spread in Oregon and continues to cause loss of life. OHA urges Oregonians to continue to wear face coverings, practice physical distancing, avoid large gatherings, and wash hands frequently.

August 7, 2020

What: The biannual meeting of the Dental Pilot Project Advisory Committee. The meeting will cover Dental Pilot Project #200, "Training Dental Hygienists to Place Interim Therapeutic Restorations."

Agenda: Presentation by Oregon Health & Science University, review modification request, program updates

When: Aug. 10, 1-2 p.m. A public comment period will be held at the end of the meeting.

Where: Remote meeting via Zoom. The public can join through a conference line at 669-254-5252, meeting ID 161 785 2125, access code 341692.

Background: Dental Pilot Projects are intended to evaluate the quality of care, access, cost, workforce, and efficacy by teaching new skills to existing categories of dental personnel; developing new categories of dental personnel; accelerating the training of existing categories of dental personnel; or teaching new oral health care roles to previously untrained persons.

Program contact: Sarah Kowalski, 971-673-1563, ah.e.kowalski@dhsoha.state.or.us">sarah.e.kowalski@dhsoha.state.or.us.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Sarah Kowalski at 971-673-1563, 711 TTY or ah.e.kowalski@dhsoha.state.or.us">sarah.e.kowalski@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Oregon reports 423 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 9 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 348, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 423 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 20,636. The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (3), Clackamas (16), Clatsop (1), Columbia (2), Deschutes (18), Douglas (3), Grant (1), Hood River (3), Jackson (12), Jefferson (5), Josephine (3), Klamath (1), Lane (13), Lincoln (1), Linn (6), Malheur (21), Marion (47), Morrow (21), Multnomah (110), Polk (7), Umatilla (53), Union (2), Wasco (3), Washington (53), and Yamhill (17).

Oregon’s 340th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 30 and died on August 5. His place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 341st COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old woman in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 20 and died on July 31. Place of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 342nd COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on July 15 and died on August 6. His place of death is unavailable at this time. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 343rd COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old man in Jefferson County who tested positive on July 10 and died on August 5, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 344th COVID-19 death is a 64-year-old man in Klamath County who tested positive on July 27 and died on August 6, at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 345th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Malheur County who tested positive on July 28 and died on August 2 in his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 346th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on July 8 and died on August 5 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 347th COVID-19 death is 94-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 16 and died on August 4 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 348th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on July 28 and died on August 6. Place of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

New modeling report shows slowing spread of COVID 19 in Oregon

Today OHA released new modeling about the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon.

The model includes three future scenarios: one in which transmission continues at the current rate, one in which transmission decreases by 10 percent and one in which transmission increases by 10 percent.

The model projects that:

• If transmission continues at the current level during the next month, the estimated number of new daily infections will remain steady over the next four weeks at approximately 1,000 per day, and the number of daily new severe cases will increase slightly from 17 to 19.
• If transmission decreases by 10 percent and continues at that level during the next month, the model projects approximately 300 new infections per day and 9 new severe cases per day by Aug. 27.
• If transmission increases by 10 percent and continues at that level during the next month, the model projects approximately 2,300 new infections per day and 32 new severe cases per day by Aug. 27.

The results suggest that transmission increased substantially during May, then decreased somewhat in late June and early July. The model estimates the Re is currently about 1.0.

Despite the apparent leveling of transmission, the virus continues to spread in Oregon and continues to cause loss of life. OHA urges Oregonians to continue to wear face coverings, practice physical distancing, avoid large gatherings, and wash hands frequently.

State Medical Officer Dean Sidelinger will hold a weekly media availability at 11:30 Friday, Aug. 7.

Media is invited to call in and ask questions at 844-291-5491. Access Code is 1809065.

August 6, 2020

What: A public meeting of the Public Health Advisory Board’s Health Equity Workgroup.

Agenda: Discuss racism as a public health crisis; review and update Public Health Advisory Board health equity review policy and procedure.

When: Aug. 13, 2-3 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. A public comment period will be held at the end of the meeting.

Where: By conference call at 877-848-7030, access code 2030826#.

Oregon’s Public Health Advisory Board provides guidance for Oregon’s governmental public health system and oversees the implementation of public health modernization and Oregon’s State Health Improvement Plan.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

•        Sign language and spoken language interpreters.

•        Written materials in other languages.

•        Braille.

•        Large print.

•        Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Cara Biddlecom at 971-673-2284, 711 TTY or a.m.biddlecom@dhsoha.state.or.us">cara.m.biddlecom@dhsoha.state.or.us.

August 6, 2020

OHA and the Advance Directive Adoption Committee are seeking public comments on the committee’s final draft version of the Advanced Directive Form.

Since 2019 the Advance Directive Adoption Committee has followed ORS 127.533 to draft an updated version of the form. The final draft form will be submitted to the Legislature by Sept. 1 for ratification during the 2021 legislative session.

Members of the public are invited to submit comments on the draft form, available at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/ABOUT/Pages/AdvanceDirectiveAdoptionCommittee.aspx. Comments should be submitted to lichealth.policy@dhsoha.state.or.us">publichealth.policy@dhsoha.state.or.us by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

•        Sign language and spoken language interpreters.

•        Written materials in other languages.

•        Braille.

•        Large print.

•        Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Cara Biddlecom at 971-673-2284, 711 TTY or a.m.biddlecom@dhsoha.state.or.us">cara.m.biddlecom@dhsoha.state.or.us.

August 6, 2020

Oregon reports 267 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 339, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 267 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 20,225. The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (1), Clackamas (22), Clatsop (1), Columbia (4), Coos (1), Crook (1), Deschutes (12), Douglas (5), Grant (1), Jackson (16), Jefferson (10), Josephine (2), Lane (12), Linn (3), Malheur (19), Marion (33), Morrow (1), Multnomah (45), Polk (4), Sherman (1), Umatilla (27), Wasco (6), Washington (30), and Yamhill (9).

Oregon’s 339th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 16 and died on August 1, at Good Shepherd Health Care Center. He had underlying conditions.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

August 5, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 338, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 299 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 19,979. The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (2), Clackamas (20), Clatsop (1), Columbia (2), Coos (1), Deschutes (8), Douglas (1), Hood River (4), Jackson (12), Jefferson (9), Josephine (1), Klamath (2), Lane (5), Lincoln (19), Linn (8), Malheur (7), Marion (42), Morrow (10), Multnomah (59), Polk (2), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (26), Wasco (1), Washington (48), and Yamhill (6).

Oregon’s 334th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 8 and died in her residence. Date of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 335th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 17 and died on July 28 at Trios Health Southridge Hospital in Kennewick, Wash. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 336th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 12 and died on August 1 at Saint Anthony Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 337th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on July 20 and died on August 3 at Kaiser Westside Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 338th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Josephine County who tested positive on July 19 and died on August 3 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Note: More information is available about Oregon’s 233rd COVID-19 death. Oregon’s 233rd COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old woman who tested positive June 29 and died on July 9 at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Boise. She had underlying conditions.

OHA Releases Weekly Report

Today OHA released its COVID-19 Weekly Report, which stated that during the week of July 27 through Aug. 2, OHA recorded 2,278 new cases of COVID-19 infection — up slightly from last week’s tally of 2,241. In addition, 39 Oregonians were reported to have died, up from last week’s toll of 27. The percentage of tests positive increased from 5.1 percent to 6.4 percent, and hospitalizations rose to 141, up from the previous week’s 127. The age group with the highest incidence of reported infection continues to be 20-29-year-olds, with rates decreasing in subsequent decades of life. Most cases continue to be “sporadic,” meaning that no source for the case was identified.

Outbreaks surpass 20 cases

An outbreak of 27 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Walmart in Umatilla County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to a worker. The outbreak investigation started on July 9, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure.

An outbreak of 20 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at the OR1 Construction site in Multnomah County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to a worker. The outbreak investigation started on July 8, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure.

An outbreak of COVID-19 has been reported at the Lamb Weston facilities in Boardman. The Lamb Weston West location has 21 cases, the Lamb Weston East location has 31 cases and the Lamb Weston Packing Center has 22 cases. These case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to a worker. The outbreak investigation started on July 1, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure.

State and county public health officials are working with these organizations to address the outbreaks and protect the health of workers.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 5, 2020

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is reviewing updated application materials from Trillium Community Health Plan to expand its Oregon Health Plan (OHP) service area to include Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. Trillium Community Health Plan currently serves  OHP members in Lane, Douglas and Linn counties.

On November 8, 2019, the Oregon Health Authority notified Trillium Community Health Plan that the coordinated care organization (CCO) would have until June 30, 2020, to contract with a hospital and meet other network requirements. If not, the CCO would lose its ability to serve the tri-county region over the next five years.

All CCOs are required to show they have a provider network that is adequate to serve their members. Trillium submitted updated provider network information to OHA in June. OHA will make a decision on the application by mid-August. If the application is approved, Trillium would be able to start enrolling OHP members September 1, 2020.

Members in the tri-counties would be able to choose Trillium as their coordinated care organization at the time of enrollment. Members are also allowed to change CCOs once per year and when they renew their OHP. Renewals are currently paused during this national emergency to ensure members maintain access to health coverage. 

About coordinated care organizations

Oregon first established CCOs in 2012 to transform health care delivery in the state. CCOs bring together physical, behavioral, and oral health providers to coordinate care for people on the Oregon Health Plan. They improve health and reduce costs by providing more coordinated, flexible and innovative services. CCOs are rewarded for achieving specific health outcomes and quality measures.

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The Aug. 5 meeting of the Governance and Frame Working Subcommittee of the Oregon Cannabis Commission is canceled.

August 4, 2020

Contact: Brian Toups, 503-385-6542, rian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us">brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

What: A public meeting of the Oregon Health Authority’s CCO Metrics and Scoring Committee to hold an optional office hour for committee members.

When: August 7, 9-10 a.m.

Where: The office hour for Metrics and Scoring Committee members will be by call-in and Zoom only. The public may join remotely through Zoom at https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1611744937?pwd=Z2pFUFRWZi96cm1BOEc1dXFBejZ5UT09 and listen-only conference line at 669-254-5252, meeting ID 161 174 4937, password 330080.

Agenda: OHA staff are holding an optional office hour for Metrics and Scoring Committee members as outlined in the timeline and process for selecting 2021 incentive measure benchmarks and targets memorandum. This is to answer questions committee members may have on the materials in the benchmarking packet available on the committee’s webpage. Committee members are welcome to join at any time during the hour. Members of the public are welcome to listen. The committee will not deliberate during this time.

For more information, please visit the committee's website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/ANALYTICS/Pages/Metrics-Scoring-Committee.aspx.

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Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Large print.
• Braille.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Brian Toups at 503-385-6542, 711 TTY, rian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us">brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

August 3, 2020

Today, OHA released its Weekly Testing Summary, showing 35,424 test results were reported during the week of July 26 – Aug. 1.  Of those test results 2,174 were positive, indicating a test positivity of 6.1 percent, one of the highest rates observed since the early pandemic.

The most recent weekly in-state theoretical testing capacity estimate is 48,000 tests for the week of July 22 based on supply, reagent and staff availability. This does not include capacity at out-of-state commercial laboratories.

OHA continues to receive widespread reports of extended turnaround time from commercial laboratories; in some cases, results are being reported up to two weeks following specimen collection.  

August 3, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 328, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 272 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 19,366.

The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (2), Clackamas (21), Clatsop (2), Coos (1), Deschutes (3), Douglas (2), Jackson (9), Jefferson (1), Josephine (2), Klamath (2), Lane (5), Lincoln (4), Linn (6), Malheur (3), Marion (27), Morrow (1), Multnomah (49), Polk (7), Sherman (1), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (64), Wasco (9), Washington (19), and Yamhill (27).

Oregon’s 327th COVID-19 death is a 71-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on July 6 and died on August 1. His place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 328th COVID-19 death is a 50-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 20 and died on July 29, at Providence Portland Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

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August 3, 2020

Contact: Sarah Bartelmann, 971-283-8107, ah.e.bartelmann@dhsoha.state.or.us">sarah.e.bartelmann@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation).

What: A public meeting of the Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target Implementation Committee.

When: August 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Virtual meeting only. The public can join remotely via Zoom or conference line. To join by Zoom go to https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1618334965?pwd=Y1FhVWsyM0NNUlJtYndxb2t3WDJQQT09, meeting ID 161 833 4965, password 178682. To call in to the meeting on a mobile device, use +16692545252,,1618334965#,,,,0#,,178682#.

Agenda: Welcome. Agenda review. Public comment (9:15 a.m.). Taking Action workstream. Transparency conversation. Next steps.

Please submit public comment in writing to e.CostTarget@dhsoha.state.or.us">HealthCare.CostTarget@dhsoha.state.or.us.

For more information, please visit the committee’s website at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/HP/Pages/Sustainable-Health-Care-Cost-Growth-Target.aspx.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Sarah Bartelmann at 971-283-8107, 711 TTY, ah.e.bartelmann@dhsoha.state.or.us">sarah.e.bartelmann@dhsoha.state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

August 2, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 326, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 285 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 19,097.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (1), Clackamas (26), Clatsop (2), Deschutes (8), Douglas (4), Hood River (4), Jackson (15), Jefferson  (7), Josephine (2), Lane (7), Linn (4), Malheur (10), Marion (53), Morrow (8), Multnomah (48), Polk (2), Sherman (1), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (20), Wasco (3), Washington (47), and Yamhill (9).

Oregon’s 326th COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old man in Malheur County who tested positive on June 29 and died on July 30, at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

See table below for total cases, deaths, and negative tests by county.

1 - This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2 - For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases.

3 - This includes cases who test negative and are not epi-linked to a confirmed case.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

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August 1, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 325, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 330 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 18,817.

The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (3), Clackamas (16), Clatsop (5), Columbia (5), Crook (1), Deschutes (12), Douglas (3), Jackson (18), Jefferson  (4), Josephine (5), Klamath (1), Lane (12), Linn (6), Malheur (17), Marion (40), Morrow (8), Multnomah (69), Polk (4), Sherman (4), Umatilla (33), Wasco (4), Washington (43), and Yamhill (15).

Oregon’s 323rd COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on July 14 and died on July 31, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 324th COVID-19 death is a 73-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on July 26 and died on July 30, at Willamette Valley Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 325th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old woman in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 12 and died on July 28. Her place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

See table below for total cases, deaths, and negative tests by county.

1 - This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2 - For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases.

3 - This includes cases who test negative and are not epi-linked to a confirmed case.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

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July 31, 2020

Media contact: Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phdcommunications@dhsoha.state.or.us

OHA investigating 76 cases of Salmonella linked to red onions

PORTLAND, Ore. — State health officials are warning people not to eat onions from Thomson International, Inc., of Bakersfield, California, after 76 people in 13 Oregon counties fell ill with matching strains of Salmonella bacteria. Eighteen of the cases have been hospitalized, and none have died.

Epidemiologists at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Public Health Division say the Oregon cases are part of an outbreak that has sickened more than 400 people in about 40 states as well as consumers in Canada. U.S. and Canadian public health officials implicated consumption of red onions; and the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) traced the onions to Thomson International, Inc. Although red onions are the likely source, Thomson will be recalling all varieties of onions that could have been cross-contaminated.

"People who believe they’ve gotten diarrhea from consuming red onions might want to contact a health care provider," said Emilio DeBess, D.V.M., an epidemiologist at the Oregon Public Health Division Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention Section. "However, most people with salmonellosis will recover without antibiotics."

People who have eaten red onions but not gotten sick do not need to seek or notify a health care provider.

"If you have any of these potentially contaminated onions, discard them and wash your hands afterwards," advised Dr. DeBess.

Each year, 400 to 500 cases of salmonellosis are reported in Oregon. Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps one to seven days after exposure. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.

Although most people recover without treatment, some have severe infections. Infants, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness. Salmonella may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites and, in rare cases, can be deadly.

For information about the national Salmonella outbreak, visit https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/newport-07-20/index.html.

For information about the recall of onions, visit https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-newport-red-onions-july-2020.

For general information about Salmonella, visit the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/.

Other resources:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/public-health-notices/2020/outbreak-salmonella-infections-under-investigation.html

https://www.inspection.gc.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2020-07-31/eng/1596169910818/1596169916854

July 31, 2020

Public charge rule blocked amid COVID-19 pandemic

A judge issued new injunctions this week blocking the public charge immigration rule during the COVID-19 pandemic. This will allow immigrant communities across Oregon and the rest of the country to access critical health care and public benefits during the current health crisis.

The injunction issued against the Department of Homeland Security prevents the agency from enforcing, applying, implementing, or treating as effective the "public charge" rule for any period during a declared national health emergency in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The rule had expanded the list of benefits that the federal government could consider in deciding whether a person can enter the United States or obtain lawful permanent residency.

"The public charge rule has worsened health disparities, especially for the Latino/a/x community, at a time when they are most hard hit by the lethal coronavirus," said Patrick Allen, Oregon Health Authority Director. "Here in Oregon many immigrant families decided not to access public benefits, even leaving their children without health insurance."

In January the Supreme Court issued a ruling that lifted an October 2019 decision to block the public charge rule, allowing it to go into effect. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security began enforcing the rule on February 24, just before the coronavirus outbreak became a nationwide pandemic.

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July 31, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 373 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 6 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed six more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 322, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 373 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 18,492.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (3), Clackamas (22), Crook (2), Deschutes (9), Douglas (3), Gilliam (1), Hood River (3), Jackson (17), Jefferson (6), Josephine (1), Klamath (8), Lane (17), Lincoln (6), Linn (5), Malheur (12), Marion (44), Morrow (20), Multnomah (77), Polk (6), Sherman (1), Umatilla (40), Union (2), Wasco (2), Washington (45), and Yamhill (18).

Oregon’s 317th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 12 and died on July 28, in her residence. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 318th COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 7 and died on July 29. Location of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 319th COVID-19 death is a 55-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 28 and died on July 29, at Adventist Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 320th COVID-19 death is a 58-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 7 and died on July 29, at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, WA. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 321st COVID-19 death is a 70-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 3 and died on July 30, at Legacy Emanuel Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 322nd COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old man in Lincoln County who tested positive on June 23 and died on July 29. Location of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

OHA Issues Report on Pediatric COVID-19 Data

Today, OHA issued a special report analyzing pediatric COVID-19 cases in Oregon since the beginning of the pandemic.

Of confirmed and presumptive cases in Oregon, 1,755 – 10.3 percent – have been pediatric patients, defined as people under age 18. The report noted that while pediatric case counts have increased sharply, these patients are still far less likely than adults to develop severe COVID-19.

Only 1.5 percent pediatric patients have been hospitalized at some point during their COVID-19 illness. That is compared to 9.7 percent of adult COVID-19 patients.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 30, 2020

D River Beach health advisory lifted on July 30

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) today lifted a public health advisory for contact with marine water at D River Beach located in Lincoln County. The health authority issued the advisory July 28 after water samples showed higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria in ocean waters.

Results from later samples taken by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) showed lower bacteria levels. Contact with the water no longer poses a higher than normal risk. However, officials recommend staying out of large pools on the beach that are frequented by birds, and runoff from those pools, because the water may contain increased bacteria from fecal matter.

State officials continue to encourage other recreational activities at all Oregon beaches, suggesting only that water contact be avoided when advisories are in effect.

Since 2003 state officials have used a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant to monitor popular Oregon beaches and make timely reports to the public about elevated levels of fecal bacteria. Oregon state agencies participating in this program are OHA, DEQ and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

For more information, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0440, or call the OHA toll-free information line at 877-290-6767.

July 30, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 416 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed 5 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 316, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 416 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 18,131.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (7), Clackamas (22), Clatsop (2), Columbia (3), Coos (4), Crook (2), Deschutes (15), Douglas (2), Hood River (5), Jackson (10), Jefferson (12), Klamath (1), Lake (1), Lane (10), Lincoln (2), Linn (4), Malheur (18), Marion (38), Morrow (9), Multnomah (61), Polk (7), Umatilla (101), Union (1), Wasco (2), Washington (63), and Yamhill (11).

Oregon’s 312th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 10 and died on July 28, at Good Samaritan Health Care Center in Yakima, WA. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 313th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 15 and died on July 27, at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 314th COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old woman in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 10 and died on July 28, at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, WA. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 315th COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 18 and died on July 26, at Portland Adventist Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 316th COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 4 and died on July 23, at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

NOTE: Umatilla’s case counts appear to be very high due to a delay in processing their electronic laboratory reports (ELRs).

Errata: The OHA weekly report initially and incorrectly reported an increase in cases for the week of Monday, July 20 through Sunday, July 26 over the previous week. Cases actually declined to 2,241 from 2,409, a drop of about 7 percent.

OHA media availability

OHA Director Patrick Allen and Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state’s medical director will hold their weekly media availability today at 2 p.m. Media are welcome to call in at 844-867-6163. Access code 593699.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 29, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 304 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 8 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed eight more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 311, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 304 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 17,721.

The new confirmed cases are in the following counties: Benton (3), Clackamas (28), Clatsop (1), Crook (3), Deschutes (16), Douglas (2), Hood River (7), Jackson (13), Jefferson (5), Josephine (4), Klamath (2), Lane (13), Lincoln (2), Linn (1), Malheur (20), Marion (20), Morrow (5), Multnomah (82), Polk (4), Umatilla (4), Union (1), Wallowa (1), Wasco (3), Washington (51) and Yamhill (13).

Oregon’s 304th COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 10 and died on July 23, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 305th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 23 and died on July 27, in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 306th COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old woman in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 22 and died on July 28, in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 307th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 16 and died on July 27, in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 308th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old woman in Morrow County who tested positive on July 10 and died on July 21. Location of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 309th COVID-19 death is a 65-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on June 29 and died on July 25, at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 310th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 27 and died on July 28, at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 311th COVID-19 death is a 73-year-old woman in Umatilla County who tested positive on June 21 and died on July 19. Location of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Expanded County-level Data Dashboard Released

OHA published a new, expanded version of Oregon’s “COVID-19 Testing and Outcomes by County” dashboard today.

The dashboard now includes additional information on weekly trends in the percent of COVID-19 tests that have been positive by county and weekly trends in the total number of persons tested for COVID-19 by county.

These trends help us understand changes in the burden of COVID-19 in communities across Oregon.

Weekly report shows daily increase and lower positivity for COVID-19

Today, OHA released its Weekly Report, which showed that during the week of July 20–26, 42,452 people were tested for COVID-19 in Oregon, and 5.1 percent of them had a positive result, down from 6.6 percent last week.

During that week, OHA recorded 2,241 new cases of COVID-19 infection, an increase from the previous week. In addition, 27 Oregonians were reported to have died, which is a slight increase from the previous week.

Large outbreaks have contributed a diminishing proportion of recent cases, and sporadic cases (those not linked to another case) have increased, consistent with community spread.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 29, 2020

What: A conference call for the Patient Equity Subcommittee of the Oregon Cannabis Commission.

Agenda: Roll call and opening statements; rule review – recommendations for changes to rules; break; patient care and health equity – recommendations for OLCC retail stores; legislative concepts.

When: Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2-4 p.m.

Where: By conference call at 877-848-7030, access code 753428.

Background: The Oregon Cannabis Commission was established in the 2017 legislative session through HB 2198. The commission consists of the state health officer or designee and an eight member-panel appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the senate. The commission is tasked with determining a possible framework for future governance of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, steps to address research on cannabis in areas of public health policy and public safety policy, agronomic and horticultural best practices, and medical and pharmacopoeia best practices. The commission also advises the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission regarding statutes governing medical and retail cannabis. Visit www.Healthoregon.org/cannabiscommission for more information.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written material in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Shannon McFadden at 971-673-3181, 711 TTY or shannon.m.mcfadden@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

July 28, 2020

Contact: Tara Chetock, 971-304-9917, a.a.chetock@dhsoha.state.or.us">tara.a.chetock@dhsoha.state.or.us (meeting information or accommodation)

What: A public meeting of the Oregon Health Policy Board.

When: August 4, 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Where: Virtual meeting only. The public can join remotely via Zoom or a conference line. Join by Zoom at https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1618100284?pwd=b05mQ2xXalZxOGtia1BlbnQ3bVB1UT09. To call in to the meeting on a mobile device, use the following number: 6692545252,,1618100284#,,,,0#,,965260#.

Agenda: Member roll call, minutes approval and agenda review; COVID-19 impacts to Oregon’s health system; COVID-19 impact presentations: Hearing from CCOs and community organizations; OHPB priorities in light of COVID; update: CCO Quality Incentive Program; director’s update; public comment; wrap-up, final thoughts and adjourn.

For more information and meeting materials, please visit the OHPB meeting webpage at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/OHPB/Pages/index.aspx.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters
• Written materials in other languages
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio and other formats

If you need help or have questions, please contact Tara Chetock at 971-304-9917, 711 TTY, a.a.chetock@dhsoha.state.or.us">tara.a.chetock@dhsoha.state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

July 28, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 342 new confirmed and presumptive COVID- 19 cases, 14 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed 14 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 303, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 342 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 17,416. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (3), Clackamas (15), Clatsop (3), Coos (3), Crook (2), Curry (1), Deschutes (7), Douglas (2), Harney (1), Jackson (10), Jefferson (9), Josephine (9), Klamath (2), Lane (6), Linn (5), Malheur (15), Marion (40), Morrow (7), Multnomah (74), Polk (13), Umatilla (75), Washington (31), and Yamhill (9).

A message of condolence

“As we surpass 300 deaths related to COVID-19, including the 14 deaths reported today, I wish to extend sincere condolences on behalf of everyone at OHA to the families who have lost a loved one to this disease. It is a stark reminder of the work all Oregonians need to do to bring this pandemic under control. Together we can slow this disease and prevent this terrible loss of life.” – OHA Director Patrick Allen

Oregon’s 290th COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old male in Multnomah County who tested positive on June 19 and died on July 22 at Portland Adventist Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 291st COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old male in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 3 and died on July 20 at Portland Adventist Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 292nd COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old female in Jefferson County who tested positive on June 30 and died on July 23 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 293rd COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old female in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 19 and died on July 26 in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 294th COVID-19 death is a 54-year-old male in Malheur County who tested positive on June 24 and died on July 15 at St. Luke’s Nampa Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 295th COVID-19 death is a 26-year-old male in Yamhill County who died in his residence on July 10. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2, as a cause of death or as a significant condition that contributed to his death.

Oregon’s 296th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old female in Clackamas County who became symptomatic on July 22, after close contact with a confirmed case, and died on July 26. Location of death and presence of underlying medical conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 297th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old male in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 23 and died on July 25 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 298th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old female in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 12 and died on July 23. Location of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 299th COVID-19 death is a 64-year-old female in Jefferson County who tested positive on July 14 and died on July 27. Location of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 300th COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old female in Jefferson County who tested positive on July 20 and died on July 26. Location of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 301st COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old male in Marion County who tested positive on July 14 and died on July 26 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 302nd COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old female in Marion County who tested positive on July 14 and died on July 24. Location of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 303rd death is an 84-year-old female in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 22 and died on July 25. Location of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Facebook Live Tomorrow with Testing Experts

Tomorrow, OHA testing experts Melissa Sutton, MD and Tom Jeanne, MD, will take questions from the public via Facebook Live on COVID-19 testing from 1:30 – 2 p.m. From who can should get tested, how to find a testing location and beyond, the doctors will help demystify testing in Oregon.

There will be simultaneous translation in both Spanish and ASL.

To join in English: https://www.facebook.com/OregonHealthAuthority/posts/3114522875251115

To join in Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/OHAespanol/live_videos/

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

D River Beach health advisory issued July 28

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a public health advisory today for higher than normal levels of bacteria in ocean waters at D River Beach in Lincoln County.

People should avoid direct contact with the water in this area until the advisory is lifted. Higher than normal levels of fecal bacteria can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. This applies especially to children and the elderly, who may be more vulnerable to illness from waterborne bacteria.

Increased pathogen and fecal bacteria levels in ocean waters can come from both shore and inland sources such as stormwater runoff, sewer overflows, failing septic systems, and animal waste from livestock, pets and wildlife.

While this advisory is in effect at D River Beach, visitors should avoid wading in nearby creeks, in pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. Even if there is no advisory in effect, officials recommend avoiding swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm.

Although state officials advise against water contact, they continue to encourage other recreational activities (flying kites, picnicking, playing on the beach, walking, etc.) on this beach because they pose no health risk even during an advisory.

The status of water contact advisories at beaches is subject to change. For the most recent information on advisories, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0482, or 877-290-6767 (toll-free).

Video and audio resources for media here.

July 27, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 340 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 0 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — The state’s death toll from COVID-19 is unchanged from yesterday and remains at 289, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 340 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 17,088.

The new cases are in the following counties: Benton (2), Clackamas (7), Columbia (1), Coos (1), Crook (1), Deschutes (11), Douglas (1), Harney (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (11), Jefferson (9), Lane (8), Lincoln (1), Malheur (8), Marion (26), Morrow (4), Multnomah (119), Polk (9), Umatilla (47), Wasco (1), Washington (61), and Yamhill (9).

COVID weekly testing summary shows declining positive rate

According to OHA’s Weekly Testing Summary, 38,179 COVID-19 test results were reported last week, of which 4.8 percent were positive. This represents the first weekly decline in percent positivity since it began increasing in late May.

Unfortunately, OHA continues to receive widespread reports of extended turnaround time from commercial laboratories; in some cases, results are being reported up to two weeks following specimen collection. Supply shortages due to supply chain issues continue to be of concern and OHA is closely monitoring the situation.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 27, 2020

Program contact: Hilary Harrison, 503-209-1949, y.harrison@dhsoha.state.or.us">hilary.harrison@dhsoha.state.or.us

What: A regular public meeting of the System of Care Advisory Council.

When: August 4, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: By webinar at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/706039269 or by teleconference at 872-240-3212, access code 706-039-269. Please note only council members may speak until the public comment time.

Agenda: The council will primarily be working on the System of Care strategy and planning. The full agenda can be found on the council's web page at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HSD/BH-Child-Family/Pages/SOCAC.aspx. The meeting will include time for public comment.

Details: Senate Bill 1 (2019) established a Governor-appointed System of Care Advisory Council to improve the efficacy and effectiveness of the state and local continuum of care that provides behavioral health services to youth and young adults. The council's immediate work is to develop and maintain a state System of Care and a comprehensive long-range plan for a coordinated state system.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Hilary Harrison at 503-209-1949, 711 TTY, or y.harrison@dhsoha.state.or.us">hilary.harrison@dhsoha.state.or.us at least two business days before the meeting.

July 26, 2020

Oregon reports 277 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 3 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 289, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 277 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 16,758.

The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (1), Clackamas (20), Columbia (2), Coos (1), Crook (1), Deschutes (21), Hood River (1), Jackson (15), Jefferson (5), Klamath (1), Lane (8), Lincoln (1), Linn (5), Malheur (10), Marion (30), Morrow (13), Multnomah (44), Polk (2), Umatilla (43), Wasco (5), Washington (39), and Yamhill (6).

Oregon’s 287rd COVID-19 death is a 40-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 1 and died on July 22, at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 288th COVID-19 death is a 56-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on July 13 and died on July 23, at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 289th COVID-19 death is a 63-year-old woman in Malheur County who tested positive on July 15 and died on July 21, at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Ontario. She had underlying conditions.

See table below for total cases, deaths, and negative tests by county.

1This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases.

3This includes cases who test negative and are not epi-linked to a confirmed case.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 25, 2020

Oregon reports 408 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 4 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed four more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 286, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 408 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 16,492.

The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (1), Clackamas (30), Columbia (1), Coos (3), Crook (1), Deschutes (19), Douglas (6), Harney (1), Hood River (5), Jackson (7), Jefferson (9), Josephine (5), Klamath (3), Lane (5), Lincoln (2), Linn (3), Malheur (11), Marion (52), Morrow (10), Multnomah (73), Polk (11), Umatilla (80), Wasco (2), Washington (58), and Yamhill (8).

Oregon’s 283rd COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on June 14 and died on July 14, at Adventist Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 284th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 10 and died on July 21, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 285th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 7 and died on July 17. His place of death and underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 286th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 14 and died on July 24. His place of death and underlying conditions are being confirmed.

See table below for total cases, deaths, and negative tests by county.

1This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases.

3This includes cases who test negative and are not epi-linked to a confirmed case.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 24, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed nine more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 282, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 396 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 16,104.

The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (1), Clackamas (25), Columbia (1), Crook (1), Curry (2), Deschutes (16), Douglas (6), Gilliam (1), Hood River (4), Jackson (5), Jefferson (22), Josephine (1), Klamath (2), Lane (16), Linn (7), Malheur (18), Marion (58), Multnomah (71), Polk (6), Umatilla (59), Wasco (1), Washington (54), and Yamhill (8).

Today’s nine deaths are the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in Oregon since the start of the pandemic.

Oregon’s 274th COVID-19 death is a 61-year-old woman in Multnomah County who died July 18 in her residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease, or SARS-CoV-2, as a cause of death, or as a significant condition that contributed to her death. No confirmatory testing for COVID-19 was performed, but this aligns with the CSTE probable case definition for a presumptive case, which OHA follows.

Oregon’s 275th COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive June 5 and died July 16, at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 276th COVID-19 death is a 92-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive July 12 and died July 18. His place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 277th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive July 12 and died July 23, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 278th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Malheur County who tested positive July 9 and died July 23, in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 279th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive July 3 and died July 22, at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 280th COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive July 18 and died July 18. More information is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 281st COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Umatilla County who tested positive July 10 and died July 22. She had underlying conditions. Her place of death is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 282nd COVID-19 death is a 69-year-old man in Umatilla who tested positive July 8 and died July 21, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Outbreak reported at Norris Blueberry Farm

An outbreak of 22 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Norris Blueberry Farm in Douglas County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to an employee.

The investigation started June 25, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

# # #

July 24, 2020

OHA Director Patrick Allen and state Medical Director Dean Sidelinger will hold their weekly media availability today, Friday, July 24, at 11:30 a.m. Media are invited to call 844-867-6163, access code 593699.

Note: The time has changed from the previously announced 11 a.m. to 11:30. Thanks for your understanding.

July 23, 2020

What: A public meeting of the Tobacco Reduction Advisory Committee (TRAC).

When: July 30, 9-11 a.m.

Where: By Zoom meeting at https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1600618019?pwd=OHpscEpQTGd6SnN5Y3VpMDZNQzdxQT09. Join by phone at 669-254-5252. Meeting ID: 160 061 8019. Please RSVP to AC.Mailbox@dhsoha.state.or.us">TRAC.Mailbox@dhsoha.state.or.us to receive the meeting password.

Who: The Tobacco Reduction Advisory Committee is appointed by the Governor and comprised of private organizations and state agencies dedicated to the reduction of the harmful impact of Oregonians’ tobacco use.

Details: Agenda items include: Review 2019-2021 Tobacco Prevention and Education Program (TPEP) budget performance; discuss policy and legislative priorities.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact the committee at AC.Mailbox@dhsoha.state.or.us">TRAC.Mailbox@dhsoha.state.or.us.

July 23, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 331 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 273, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 331 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 15,713.

The new cases are in the following counties: Clackamas (18), Columbia (3), Coos (3), Crook (1), Deschutes (18), Douglas (13), Hood River (1), Jackson (8), Jefferson (3), Josephine (3), Klamath (13), Lake (1), Lane (12), Lincoln (5), Linn (3), Malheur (10), Marion (39), Morrow (4), Multnomah (77), Polk (13), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (39), Wasco (6), Washington (33), and Yamhill (4).

Oregon’s 272nd COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on June 29 and died on July 16, at Good Shepherd Health Care System. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 273rd COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on July 8 and died on July 21, at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions. 

OHA updates new modeling showing need to stay the course

OHA updated its bi-weekly modeling report today, showing various trajectories for COVID-19.

The modeling presents three scenarios:

• If the current transmission rate continues, new daily infections would rise steadily over the next four weeks to around 1,600 infections a day by Aug. 13, with 27 hospitalizations.
• If transmission decreased by 10 percentage points from current rates, the estimated number of new infections would decrease over time to 600 infections a day by Aug. 13 with 17 hospitalizations.
• Finally, a pessimistic scenario, in which transmission increases by 10 percentage points from the current rates, shows 2,300 new daily infections by Aug. 13 with 46 hospitalizations.

The projections show the need for Oregonians to continue to wear face coverings, stay six feet apart and limit the size of social gatherings to bend the curve again. These actions, along with the recent measures put in place by Gov. Kate Brown, will make a difference in the course of COVID-19 in our state.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 23, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

OHA funds more than 170 community groups to support contact tracing, outreach and other efforts to combat COVID-19

Program enlists trusted partners to help communities hardest hit by COVID-19

July 23, 2020 - Today, OHA announced the launch of a new program to fund work by Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to help respond to COVID-19 in culturally- and linguistically-responsive ways in communities across the state.

OHA will provide 173 CBOs with $9.4 million in CARES Act funds. The CBOs are contracted to help with three specific areas, though not all organizations were contracted to carry out work in all areas.

• Outreach and community engagement;
• Contact tracing together with local public health authorities; and
• Providing people with social services/wraparound supports.

The organizations are located in every county in the state, with deep ties to the communities they serve. Grants range from $9,500 to $352,200 for the first three months of funding (July 1-September 30, 2020) and depend on the type and scope of work the organization has agreed to carry out. Additional CBOs may be funded as applications come in to OHA.

OHA recognizes the impact longstanding health inequities, rooted in systemic racism and oppression, are having on COVID-19 infections in Oregon. CBOs are key to preventing and mitigating COVID-19 in communities that are most impacted. With COVID-19 disproportionately affecting communities of color, including high infection rates among Latinx, Black and Pacific Islanders, among others, the need for this program was substantial.

“Today, we’re taking a step forward in addressing the inequities COVID-19 has laid bare,” said Patrick Allen, OHA director. “These CBOs are trusted messengers in their communities who have been trying to provide support with existing resources. This partnership with OHA and local public health authorities will give CBOs the resources they need to increase their outreach and add much-needed capacity for an equitable statewide response.”

Outreach and community engagement: CBOs can utilize their trusted connections to individuals, families and communities as a critical way to share accurate information about COVID-19. By sharing information about COVID-19 in culturally- and linguistically responsive ways, OHA will help address COVID-19 disparities that are a result of systemic racism and oppression.

Contact tracing: An important part of the COVID-19 response is ensuring that any contacts of COVID-19 cases are notified about their potential exposure and monitored for symptoms. In order to engage with communities, Community Health Workers, Traditional Health Workers and individuals who have similar training or skill sets can effectively build relationships and make contact tracing successful.

Social services/wraparound supports: Individuals impacted by COVID-19 may need supports for daily living in order to comply with quarantine or isolation requirements. CBOs will provide housing, meals and other services to help community members during their quarantine or isolation period. In addition to the funds each CBO is receiving for their first quarter of work, CBOs are being reimbursed for the direct costs associated with supporting communities in isolation and quarantine.

One of the CBOs engaged to do the work, Oasis of Praise International Ministries in Multnomah County, will be distributing COVID-19 educational materials and conducting outreach to members of the faith community. Its community outreach strategies include canvassing, social media, mailers, digital communication and other methods to ensure that the faith community is well informed of the coronavirus and how to prevent its transmission.

“Houses of worship have always been seen as a trusted pillar of support and resource in times of crisis. I appreciate the Oregon Health Authority prioritizing its resources to include the Black church and other houses of worship to help equip our communities with information and services to reduce the transmission of COVID-19,” said Apostle Levell Thomas, Oasis of Praise International Ministries.   

Another CBO, EUVALCREE, which works in Malheur County, launched its Endeavors Residency Program to provide internship opportunities for college students attending Eastern Oregon University, Blue Mountain Community College and Treasure Valley Community College, as part of its strategic initiative to address and support communities of color that are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. With OHA support, EUVALCREE will use its paid interns in the program to provide community engagement and education, contact tracing, social services and wraparound support for cases and contacts in a culturally and linguistically responsive manner and meet the needs of communities most impacted.

"In a time of crisis, it is essential to unite and work towards a common goal of greater good. Given our current social, political and economic time, I am grateful for the support that all three institutions of higher education have provided to ensure that the program is a success,” said Gustavo Morales, executive director, EUVALCREE.

Meanwhile, OHA stood up a team of 11 community engagement coordinators to work directly with the CBOs and ensure they have access to the tools and resources they need. In the fall, OHA plans to evaluate results from an initial phase and make awards for the second quarter of work.  A full list of the CBOs and additional information about the program is available at healthoregon.org/communityengagement.

July 23, 2020

Contact: Allyson Hagen, 503-449-6457, allyson.hagen@state.or.us

OHA releases online dashboard of payments to hospitals for common procedures

Interactive tool makes hospital payments more transparent

For the first time, the Oregon Health Authority has released its annual Oregon Hospital Payment report as an online dashboard. In its fifth year of publication, the report details the median amounts paid by commercial insurers for the most common inpatient and outpatient procedures performed in Oregon hospitals in 2018. The report provides a look at hospital payments before they were affected by COVID-19.

"This online dashboard makes hospital payment data more accessible than ever before," said Jeremy Vandehey, OHA’s director of health policy and analytics. "This pandemic has had and will continue to have significant impacts on our health systems. In future years, this information can help us understand how COVID-19 affected the cost of health care across the state."

The goal of the report is to provide transparency about hospital reimbursement. Users of the new dashboard can click on interactive charts and graphs to see payment details by hospital for common hospital procedures. The dashboard also shows whether the amounts paid increased or decreased from 2017.

In 2018 the United States spent $3.6 trillion on health care, the equivalent of $11,172 per person. Hospital care accounts for almost 33%, or $1.2 trillion, of that spending each year. Hospital care also represents one of the fastest growing sectors of health care.

Insurance companies continue to pay hospitals widely varying amounts for the same procedures within hospitals, among hospitals, and across the state, according to the report. In 2018 imaging and diagnostic procedures – including eight of the state’s 10 most commonly performed procedures – were reported to have increased by an average of 6.2 percent from 2017, the most of any category.

Other highlights of the report include:

• Most procedures show sizable variations in paid amounts, both within and among hospitals.
• Paid amounts decreased for 11 of the 24 inpatient procedures reported, likely due to a decrease in the length of hospital stays.
• The median amount paid decreased for knee and hip replacements, the two most common inpatient procedures.
• The two most common radiation and chemotherapy procedures grew 4% and 5.8% respectively.
• Pregnancy related procedures decreased as a group due to decreases in cesarean section deliveries and in newborn care with complications.

For more details on the 2018 Oregon Hospital Payment Report, visit the OHA Health Policy and Analytics website.

July 22, 2020

Media contacts: Elisa Williams, DHS, Elisa.A.Williams@state.or.us, 503-509-9604; Jonathan Modie, OHA, Jonathan.N.Modie@dhsoha.state.or.us, 971-246-9139

Contractors sought to support COVID-19 testing at long-term care facilities

Salem, OR—The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) are putting the call out for organizations interested in helping the state implement its statewide plan to test all staff and residents of long-term care facilities.

The request for applications (RFA) that OHA issued Monday is authorized as part of Gov. Kate Brown’s March 8 emergency declaration under a statute, ORS 279B.080, that allows for emergency procurement of services. The RFA, which closes July 31, 2021, seeks applicants that can perform specimen collection and diagnostic testing for COVID-19 infection in Oregon as part of the state’s effort to test all long-term care facility staff and offer testing to all residents by September 30, 2020.

Although the closing date for the RFA is July 31, 2021, OHA plans to enter into contracts with approved applicants as soon as possible and on an ongoing basis to meet multiple testing service needs of Oregonians throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bringing on additional test-service contractors will allow for faster implementation of the plan, which launched in late June.

The RFA, including application requirements and attachments, can be accessed and downloaded from ORPIN website, http://orpin.oregon.gov/open.dll/welcome, and specifically from ORPIN Opportunity #OHA-5050-20.

The plan is being implemented in two phases. In the first phase, every facility will test all staff and offer testing to all residents. This phase, which began in late June and concludes by Sept. 30, covers more than 680 large long-term care facilities statewide, which combined provide care for an estimated 31,000 residents and employ 29,000 staff. Facilities may begin testing whenever they are ready to do so. In addition, any resident or staff member who can be documented as having been tested on, or after June 1, 2020, will count toward the goal of having all staff and residents tested at least once by Sept. 30, 2020.

Once a facility completes an initial round of comprehensive testing, they will need to develop and implement a plan for ongoing monitoring and testing, including testing all staff at least once per month.

Facilities’ plans for this ongoing staff testing, which is the second phase of the plan, will be approved by the DHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities, with implementation required to begin within 30 days of completing the first round of testing.

According to the RFP, contractors must supply “sufficient, qualified professionals and services to operate COVID-19 specimen collection and other optional related services, including but not limited to laboratory testing, counseling, billing and reporting, as well as related services at residential care and possibly other facilities throughout Oregon.”

Contractors must also present plans and operational procedures for specimen collection sites, and plan for providing medical consultation before specimen collection and after receiving results. They also must maintain patient confidentiality, obtain appropriate consent for testing, ensure staff, patients and contractors are protected from COVID-19, and provide required personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition, contractors will gather patient demographic data such as race, ethnicity, language and disability.

Finally, according to the RFA, the state “is looking for the fastest turnaround time of (test) results to support contact tracing,” with a maximum acceptable turnaround time of seven days. However, the state is aiming for a turnaround time of between 24 and 48 hours.

Resources:

A copy of the long-term care testing plan rules issued on July 15, 2020, may be found at this link.

For the DHS lists of state-licensed long-term care facilities reporting COVID-19 cases or tests pending on suspected cases visit: https://www.oregon.gov/DHS/COVID- 19/Pages/LTC-Facilities.aspx.

For the most recent OHA COVID-19 Weekly Report, which includes cases at long-term care facilities, visit: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/DISEASESAZ/Emerging%20Respitory%20Infections/COVID-19-Weekly-Report-2020-07-15-FINAL.pdf

Other COVID-19 resources and information is available at these links:

• Oregon Health Authority | COVID-19 Updates – Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 Information and Resources

July 22, 2020

Recreational use advisory issued for Odell Lake July 22

The Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use health advisory today for Odell Lake due to the presence of a cyanobacteria (harmful algae) bloom that historically produces cyanotoxins (harmful algae toxins) above recreational guideline values for human exposure. The lake is in Klamath County.

A sample was collected, and the analysis of toxins is underway. Once the data becomes available, OHA will determine whether the advisory can be lifted or must stay in place.

Until OHA can lift the advisory, people should avoid swimming and high-speed water activities, such as water skiing or power boating, in areas of the lake where blooms are identified. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities may experience a puffy red rash.

People are encouraged to visit Odell Lake and enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, and bird watching. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray, which could lead to inhalation risk.

Drinking water

Drinking water directly from areas of the lake affected by a bloom is especially dangerous. Toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters. Contact campground management or the local health department with questions about water available at nearby campgrounds or day use areas.

People who are not on a well or a public water system and draw in-home water directly from an affected area are advised to use an alternative water source because not all private treatment systems are proven effective in removing cyanotoxins.

Children and pets

Children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and level of activity. People who bring their pets to a lake with areas affected by a bloom for recreation activities, regardless of whether a recreational use health advisory is in place, should take special precautions to keep them from drinking from or swimming in these areas. Dogs can also be exposed to cyanotoxins when present by licking their fur, licking cyanobacteria off rocks or eating cells from a bloom.

Fishing

Fish caught from areas where cyanobacterial blooms are present should have fat, skin and organs removed before cooking or freezing, as toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues. Fillets should also be rinsed with clean water.

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and result in a range of symptoms, from those similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, to more serious symptoms like numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath that may require medical attention.

For health information or to report an illness, contact the Oregon Health Authority at 971-673-0482.

Learn more here.

Media contact:

Delia Hernández, 503-422-7179, phd.communications@dhsoha.state.or.us

July 22, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 264 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 271, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 264 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 15,393.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (3), Clackamas (24), Clatsop (1), Coos (3), Crook (2), Curry (1), Deschutes (8), Douglas (2), Grant (1), Hood River (4), Jackson (11), Jefferson (6), Josephine (1), Klamath (6), Lane (6), Lincoln (2), Linn (6), Malheur (13), Marion (31), Morrow (3), Multnomah (51), Polk (4), Umatilla (24), Wasco (1), Washington (45), and Yamhill (4).

Oregon’s 270th COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 9 and died on July 20, in his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 271st COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 16 and died on July 21, at Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

OHA weekly media availability scheduled

OHA Director Patrick Allen and State Medical Director Dean Sidelinger will hold their weekly media availability Friday, July 24, at 11 a.m. Media is invited to call 844-867-6163. Access Code 593699.

OHA Releases Weekly Report

OHA released its Weekly Report today, noting that the recent COVID-19 resurgence continued during the week from July 13 – 19. Over that week, there were 2,409 new cases of COVID-19, a 26 percent increase from the previous week.

The percentage of tests positive increased again to 6.6 percent from 6.2 percent. Meanwhile, large outbreaks have contributed a diminishing proportion of recent cases, and sporadic cases (cases not traced to another case) have increased, consistent with diffuse community spread.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 22, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

OHA Announces New Mask Requirements Website

Face coverings, or masks, are now required statewide for all adults and starting Friday, July 24, for all children 5 and up, in all indoor public spaces and outdoors when physical distancing isn’t possible.

To help Oregonians understand the requirement, the Oregon Health Authority has created a website resource that aims to be a clearinghouse of the latest information about face coverings and masks, from requirements to FAQs to tips about how to effectively wear them.

Controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon requires all of us to do our part. Emerging evidence shows that wearing a mask help can help protect you and the people you love from spreading and catching COVID-19. It’s an empowering way for each of us to protect our communities, our families and ourselves.

COVID-19 is spread by respiratory droplets when people cough, sneeze, talk, laugh or sing. Face coverings help contain those droplets. The virus can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and likely don’t know they are infected.

Properly worn, a face covering should cover a person’s nose and mouth and fit snugly against the sides of the face. Many types of face coverings can be used, including handmade cloth face coverings, scarves, bandanas, and more. They should be washed frequently after using.

COVID 19 is widespread in our state. All Oregonians can work together to flatten the curve and lower our risk of getting it or giving it to others by:

• Covering our faces when six feet of physical distancing is not possible;
• Avoiding large crowds and limit our social gatherings;
• Washing our hands;
• Staying home if we’re sick.

To learn more about face coverings and face masks visit healthoregon.org/masks.

July 21, 2020

What: A conference call for the Patient and Social Equity Subcommittee of the Oregon Cannabis Commission.

Agenda: TBD

When: Aug. 4, 1-4 p.m.

Where: Conference call line: 877-848-7030, access code 753428.

Background: The Oregon Cannabis Commission was established in the 2017 legislative session through HB 2198. The commission consists of the state health officer or designee and an eight member-panel appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the senate. The commission is tasked with determining a possible framework for future governance of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, steps to address research on cannabis in areas of public health policy and public safety policy, agronomic and horticultural best practices, and medical and pharmacopoeia best practices. The commission also advises the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission regarding statutes governing medical and retail cannabis. Visit www.Healthoregon.org/cannabiscommission for more information.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written material in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Shannon McFadden at 971-673-3181, 711 TTY or shannon.m.mcfadden@state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

July 21, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 299 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 7 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed seven more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 269, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 299 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 15,139.

The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (1), Clackamas (15), Clatsop (3), Columbia (1), Coos (1), Deschutes (7), Douglas (3), Harney (2), Hood River (4), Jackson (5), Jefferson (8), Josephine (2), Klamath (1), Lake (1), Lane (3), Malheur (18), Marion (40), Morrow (10), Multnomah (67), Polk (3), Umatilla (59), Union (2), Wasco (1), Washington (32), and Yamhill (8).

Oregon’s 263rd COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 10 and died on June 15, in her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 264th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old woman in Malheur County who tested positive on June 28 and died on July 19. Her place of death and underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 265th COVID-19 death is a 52-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on June 24 and died on July 18 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 266th COVID-19 death is a 59-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on June 23 and died on July 15, at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He did not have underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 267th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 7 and died on July 19, at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 268th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 23 and died on July 20. He had underlying conditions. His place of death is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 269th COVID-19 death is a 47-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on June 29 and died on July 17 at Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington. He had underlying conditions.

Outbreak reaches 23 cases

An outbreak of 23 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Walmart Distribution Center in Umatilla County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to an employee. The investigation started on June 30, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure. State and county public health officials are working together to address the outbreak and protect the health of workers.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 21, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

OHA Announces New Online Testing Locator

Today, the Oregon Health Authority announced it has published a COVID-19 test site locator to help Oregonians across the state find testing sites in their community. The interactive map is available on pages in both English and Spanish and can be toggled into multiple other languages:

healthoregon.org/covid19testing or healthoregon.org/pruebasdecovid19 (Spanish)

People who experience COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough or shortness of breath, should contact a health care provider to discuss whether to be tested. Health care providers determine whether testing is appropriate based on symptoms and test availability in their area.

“Removing barriers to testing is important to help Oregonians stay healthy and to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Dean Sidelinger, MD, state epidemiologist and state health officer. “This new resource can help people find ongoing testing locations in their community, which is especially important for people who don’t have a primary care provider.”

The COVID-19 testing site locator was developed by Castlight, a health navigation platform that connects the information of hundreds of health vendors, benefits resources and plan designs into an online tool. Oregonians can locate nearby testing sites by entering their address or selecting state, county and zip. Oregonians should call the COVID-19 testing site before they go to learn about testing criteria, availability and hours.

Oregon’s testing guidance encourages testing for anyone with symptoms in consultation with a health care provider. If testing resources are limited, the following groups should be prioritized:

• Healthcare workers and first responders (EMS, public safety workers)
• Residents, staff, children, and others in non-hospital congregate settings (e.g., residential care facilities, group homes, schools, agricultural workplaces, food processing plants, jails or prisons, shelters)
• Workers who provide direct care or services in multiple group facilities or who provide in-home services (e.g., hospice care workers, physical or occupational therapists, in-home personal care workers)
• Essential front-line service workers who have regular contact with large numbers of people (e.g., those working in grocery, pharmacy, transit, delivery, and other critical infrastructure services)
• People 65 years of age or older
• People with underlying medical conditions, including, but not limited to, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, obesity, and immunocompromising conditions
• People who identify as Black, African American, Latinx, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Asian American or Pacific Islander
• People who identify as having a disability
• People whose first language is not English
• Pregnant women
• People whose condition requires hospitalization
• People who, within 14 days of their symptom onset, had close contact with a confirmed or presumptive COVID-19 case

The data on the testing locator was submitted to Castlight by both the OHA and local public health authorities. OHA cannot guarantee that people will be able to get tested at one of the sites. It is always best to contact a health care provider about getting a COVID-19 test.

July 21, 2020

What: The first public meeting of the Nurse Staffing Advisory Board's Process Improvement Committee.

Agenda: Introduction and review committee agenda; review committee charter and discuss committee priorities; discuss current state of nurse staffing surveys and complaint investigations; review nurse staffing tool; discuss priority elements of survey tool; summarize action items and next steps; adjourn. The agenda will be available on the board's webpage at http://www.healthoregon.org/nursestaffing.

When: July 22, 8-10:30 a.m.

Where: By webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5037185332138872335; webinar ID 290-772-619; or by teleconference at 877-336-1829, participant code 2075141.

The Nurse Staffing Advisory Board advises the Oregon Health Authority on the administration of Oregon’s nurse staffing laws; identifies trends, opportunities and concerns related to nurse staffing; makes recommendations to the Oregon Health Authority based on those trends, opportunities and concerns; and reviews the enforcement powers and processes under Oregon’s nurse staffing laws.

Program contact: Kimberly Voelker, 971-673-0389, erly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us">kimberly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written material in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Kimberly Voelker at 971-673-0389, 711 TTY, or erly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us">kimberly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

July 21, 2020

What: The quarterly public meeting of the Nurse Staffing Advisory Board.

Agenda: Minutes approval from February 26 and April 29 meetings; membership updates; status updates; committee updates; open action items; proposal for 2020 nurse staffing surveys; annual legislative report; emerging issues in nurse staffing; public comment. The agenda will be available on the board's webpage at http://www.healthoregon.org/nursestaffing.

When: July 29, 1-5 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. A 15-minute public comment period will be open at the end of the meeting.

Where: By Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/92282362390?pwd=UitIbjVLSnl4WXIwb1N6TWxuNk9Pdz09; meeting ID 922 8236 2390; password 899733.

The Nurse Staffing Advisory Board advises the Oregon Health Authority on the administration of Oregon’s nurse staffing laws; identifies trends, opportunities and concerns related to nurse staffing; makes recommendations to the Oregon Health Authority based on those trends, opportunities and concerns; and reviews enforcement powers and processes under Oregon’s nurse staffing laws.

Program contact: Kimberly Voelker, 971-673-0389,  erly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us">kimberly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written material in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Kimberly Voelker at 971-673-0389, 711 TTY, or erly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us">kimberly.n.voelker@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

July 20, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 277 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 262, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 277 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 14,847. The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Clackamas (11), Clatsop (2), Columbia (1), Crook (1), Deschutes (19), Douglas (2), Harney (1), Hood River (2), Jackson (5), Jefferson (7), Josephine (2), Klamath (5), Lake (1), Lane (4), Lincoln (2), Malheur (10), Marion (30), Morrow (1), Multnomah (85), Polk (1), Umatilla (41), Washington (38), Yamhill (6).

Oregon’s 261st COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on June 22 and died on July 17, at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 262nd COVID-19 death is a 92-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on July 8 and died on July 18, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

OHA Releases Weekly Testing Summary

OHA released its Weekly Testing Summary today showing 39,301 tests were performed from July 13-18.* Of those tests, 2,292 were reported positive, for a percent positivity rate of 5.8 percent, unchanged from the week prior. The most recent weekly testing capacity estimate is 41,000 tests.

The report continues to caution that several major manufacturers have informed OHA that testing supply allocation are being or may be reduced over the next six to eight weeks due to the recent spike in positive COVID-19 cases nationally and increased demand for testing and point-of-care tests continue to be in short supply due to the high demand for testing supplies. OHA is receiving widespread reports of extended turnaround time from commercial laboratories; in some cases, results are being reported two weeks following specimen collection. OHA will continue to monitor this concerning situation.

*NOTE: The summary of Oregon test results timeframe in the Weekly Testing Summary is shifting to match with CDC’s MMWR report week, which is reported Sundays through Saturdays. To achieve this without reporting overlapping data, today’s report reflects a six-day week (7/13-7/18).

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 19, 2020

Oregon reports 436 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 3 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 260, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 436 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 14,579.

The new cases are in the following counties: Clackamas (19), Coos (2), Crook (5), Curry (1), Deschutes (13), Douglas (3), Hood River (6), Jackson (16), Jefferson (15), Josephine (4), Lake (1), Lane (10), Lincoln (1), Linn (4), Malheur (11), Marion (46), Morrow (8), Multnomah (123), Polk (5), Umatilla (78), Wallowa (1), Wasco (1), Washington (57), Yamhill (6).

Oregon’s 258th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on July 8 and died on July 17 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 259th COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on July 8 and died on July 17 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 260th COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 14 and died on July 18, at OHSU. She had underlying conditions.

See table below for total cases, deaths, and negative tests by county.

1This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases.

3This includes cases who test negative and are not epi-linked to a confirmed case.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 18, 2020

Oregon reports 353 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 3 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 257, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 353 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 14,149.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (4), Clackamas (15), Clatsop (2), Coos (3), Crook (2), Deschutes (11), Douglas (4), Hood River (8), Jackson (7), Jefferson (2), Klamath (4), Lake (3), Lane (37), Lincoln (3), Linn (3), Malheur (5), Marion (31), Morrow (11), Multnomah (87), Polk (7), Sherman (3), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (35), Union (4), Wallowa (2), Wasco (5), Washington (47), and Yamhill (7).

Oregon’s 255th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on July 14 and died on July 17, in his residence. Additional details are still being confirmed.

Oregon’s 256th COVID-19 death is a 60-year-old man in Wallowa County who tested positive on July 8 and died on July 16, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 257th COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old man in Lincoln County who died on July 4 in his residence and tested positive post-mortem on July 15. He had underlying conditions.

See table below for total cases, deaths, and negative tests by county.

1This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are those without a positive diagnostic test who present COVID-19-like symptoms and had close contact with a confirmed case. County of residence for cases may change as new information becomes available. If changes occur, we will update our counts accordingly.

2For additional details on individuals who have died from COVID-19 in Oregon, please refer to our press releases.

3This includes cases who test negative and are not epi-linked to a confirmed case.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 17, 2020

What: The monthly public meeting of the Conference of Local Health Officials (CLHO) originally scheduled for July 16 has been rescheduled for July 23 via webinar.

Agenda: Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity grant update; case investigation/contact tracing reimbursement invoice concerns; OPERA (Oregon Pandemic Emergency Response Application) system rollout update; community based organization funding for contact tracing and wraparound services; ARIAS onboarding update; Public Health Modernization funding formula discussion; Public Health Accountability Metrics report.

Agenda is subject to change. It will be posted with meeting materials on the CLHO website at http://www.oregonclho.org/ prior to the meeting. There is no public comment period during this meeting.

When: Thursday, July 23, 9:30-11 a.m.

Where: Via webinar. Register for the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9009859381690158091.

Background: The Conference of Local Health Officials provides recommendations to the Oregon Health Authority on the foundational capabilities and programs and any other public health program or activity under ORS 431.147. (ORS 431.340).

Program contact: Danna Drum, 503-957-8869, um@state.or.us">danna.k.drum@state.or.us

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Danna Drum at 503-957-8869, 711 TTY or um@state.or.us">danna.k.drum@state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting.

July 17, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 307 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 254, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 307 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 13,802.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (2), Clackamas (19), Clatsop (1), Columbia (2), Coos (4), Deschutes (12), Douglas (3), Hood River (2), Jackson (12), Jefferson (7), Josephine (2), Klamath (2), Lane (10), Lincoln (1), Linn (3), Malheur (9), Marion (39), Morrow (6), Multnomah (88), Polk (3), Umatilla (38), Union (2), Wasco (1), Washington (37) and Yamhill (2).

Oregon’s 250th COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old man in Wasco County who tested positive on June 27 and died on July 15 at OHSU Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 251st COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 8 and died on July 14, in his residence. He had no known underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 252nd COVID-19 death is a 99-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on July 8 and died on July 15, in his residence. He had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 253rd COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 6 and died on July 16, in her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Oregon’s 254th COVID-19 death is a 35-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on July 6 and died on July 11, in her residence. She had underlying medical conditions.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 16, 2020

What: The Public Health Advisory Board has canceled its July 16 meeting and instead will meet on July 23.

Agenda: Approve June meeting minutes; discuss racism as a public health crisis; determine next steps for updating PHAB Health Equity Review policy and procedure; discuss the COVID-19 response; approve 2020 Public Health Accountability Metrics Report; receive an update from the Incentives and Funding Subcommittee; PHAB member discussion.

When: Thursday, July 23, 2020 from 2:00-4:00 pm. The meeting is open to the public. A public comment period will be held at the end of the meeting.

Where: Conference call: 1-877-873-8017; access code: 767068#.

Oregon’s Public Health Advisory Board provides guidance for Oregon’s governmental public health system and oversees the implementation of public health modernization and Oregon’s State Health Improvement Plan.

# # #

Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:

• Sign language and spoken language interpreters.
• Written materials in other languages.
• Braille.
• Large print.
• Audio and other formats.

If you need help or have questions, please contact Cara Biddlecom at 971-673-2284, 711 TTY, or a.m.biddlecom@state.or.us">cara.m.biddlecom@state.or.us, at least 48 hours before the meeting.

July 16, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 437 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 249, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 437 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 13, 509.

The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (4), Clackamas (28), Clatsop (2), Coos (2), Deschutes (28), Douglas (4), Hood River (5), Jackson (8), Jefferson (6), Josephine (1), Klamath (3), Lane (12), Lincoln (3), Linn (4), Malheur (17), Marion (53), Morrow (8), Multnomah (108), Polk (7), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (50), Union (1), Wasco (2), Washington (76), and Yamhill (3).

Today’s case count is the highest since the onset of the pandemic. The rise in cases is attributed to the spread of COVID-19 from social gatherings and sporadic spread. Worksite outbreaks and long term care facility outbreaks also are contributing cases to the daily count.

Since Oregon began reopening, we have seen outbreaks when people get together to celebrate with family and friends. Some examples include:

• Graduations
• Birthdays
• Weddings
• Holidays

COVID-19 is spreading more among social activities involving groups of younger people. OHA has recorded outbreaks linked to:

• An exercise classes
• A fraternity party
• A bachelor party

While it is difficult not to celebrate these events as we have in the past, COVID-19 is spreading in our communities and people must think hard about altering daily routines that may put people at risk.

OHA recommends that everyone:

• Limit the size of our gatherings
• Keep our distance
• Cover our faces
• Find alternative ways for those who are vulnerable to participate.

Oregon’s 248th COVID-19 death is a 97-year-old man in Malheur County who tested positive on June 29 and died on July 15, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 249th COVID-19 death is a 58-year-old woman in Malheur County who tested positive on July 6 and died on July 13. Place of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Note: The date of Oregon’s 244th death was reported inaccurately yesterday. Oregon’s 244th COVID-19 death is a 63-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 13 and died on July 14, at St. Charles Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.

July 16, 2020

OHA Director Patrick Allen and State Medical Officer Dean Sidelinger will hold a weekly media availability at 2:30 p.m. today. Media is invited to call in and ask questions at 844-867-6163. Access Code 593699.

For more information: media.COVID-19@state.or.us

July 15, 2020

Media contact: OHA External Relations 971-673-2097, covid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us">orcovid19.media@dhsoha.state.or.us

Oregon reports 282 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 4 new deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed four more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 247, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 282 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 13,081.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (1), Clackamas (24), Columbia (2), Coos (2), Crook (1), Deschutes (12), Douglas (4), Jackson (9), Jefferson (2), Josephine (1), Klamath (1), Lane (9), Lincoln (2), Linn (2), Malheur (15), Marion (38), Morrow (3), Multnomah (59), Polk (4), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (27), Union (4), Wasco (2), Washington (50), and Yamhill (6).

Oregon’s 244th COVID-19 death is a 63-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on June 13 and died on June 14, at St. Charles Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 245th COVID-19 death is a 61-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on April 13 and died on May 6, in his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 246th death is an 85-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on April 11 and died on June 20, at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 247th death is a 61-year-old woman in Douglas County who tested positive on June 28 and died on July 12, at Covenant Hospital in Lubbock, Texas. She had underlying conditions.

NOTE: The death of a 71-year-old woman from Multnomah County who died on May 5 was accidentally reported twice — once in the May 7 press release as Oregon’s 120th death, and again in the May 8 press release as Oregon’s 124th death. We regret the error. The total number of deaths today has been amended to reflect this change.

Weekly Report Released

Today, OHA released its Weekly Report which highlights the data trends for the week from July 6 through July 12. The report noted that the recent COVID-19 resurgence accelerated over the reporting week. OHA recorded 2,043 new cases of COVID-19 infection, a 7 percent increase from the previous week. In addition, 22 Oregonians were reported to have died, twice the number that died the preceding week. The percentage of tests positive increased to 6.2 percent from 5.0 percent though the daily number of newly reported infections appears to have plateaued for the first time since late May.

Hospitalizations also plateaued after increasing for the five consecutive weeks and remain below earlier peaks in March and April despite reported daily case counts approximately three times as high. These circumstances are probably due principally to 1) detection and reporting of a higher proportion of all infections that occur (more widespread testing; testing of asymptomatic contacts of known cases); and 2) actual increases in underlying rates of infection among younger people who are at lower risk of hospitalization than are those in older age groups. ICU bed usage remains well under capacity statewide.

Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response.

United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response.

Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.