The Oregon Health Authority reported 353 new confirmed and suspected cases of coronavirus and three deaths on Saturday.
Saturday’s count marks the third consecutive day that state officials have reported 300 or more cases.
The streak began Thursday when the health authority reported a record case count for the third consecutive week with 437.
The disclosure of the cases comes a day after state authorities reported the highest total hospitalization since the pandemic began with 158 on Friday. The previous high was 156 on April 8.
The disclosure also comes just days after new mandates announced by Governor Kate Brown on Monday came into effect. The mandates prohibit indoor social gatherings of 10 or more people and require Oregon residents to wear masks when they cannot maintain a 6-foot physical distance outdoors.
New cases by county: 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).
New fatalities: The 255th victim of the coronavirus in Oregon is a 78-year-old man in Marion County who died at his home on July 17 after testing positive three days earlier. State officials have yet to determine if he had underlying health problems.
The 256th victim of the coronavirus in Oregon is a 60-year-old man in Wallowa County. He died at his home on July 16 after testing positive on July 8. He had unspecified underlying health conditions.
An 81-year-old man in Lincoln County who did not have unspecified underlying health conditions is the 257th victim of COVID-19 in Oregon. He died at his home on July 4 and tested positive through a post mortem test on July 15.
Outbreaks in the workplace: State officials reported this week that 142 cases of coronavirus have been connected to the Lamb Weston potato factory in Hermiston, which is the third-largest workplace outbreak to date. The factory has been closed since June 15 and cooperated with health officials in evaluating all employees, a company spokesperson told The Oregonian / OregonLive in an email.
Outbreaks at food processors and farm sites have infected nearly 1,000 Oregonians since March. However, workplace outbreaks are now outnumbered by what state officials call “sporadic spread,” cases whose origins are unclear.
Since she began: State authorities have reported 14,149 suspected and confirmed cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began.
– Bryce Dole; [email protected]; 541-660-9844; @DoleBryce
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