A 63-year-old man was admitted Monday with symptoms.
(Update: Add the declaration of San Carlos)
BEND, Oregon (KTVZ) – Deschutes County health officials reported the first death of a county resident due to COVID-19, a 63-year-old man who died Tuesday in St. Charles Bend, a day after being admitted with symptoms
The man “had underlying medical conditions and was admitted to the hospital for symptoms of COVID-19 yesterday (Monday),” county health officials said in an announcement.
Her case was identified through local contact tracking, they added.
“Our thoughts go out to the family and loved ones of our community member who passed away today,” said Dr. George Conway, Director of Deschutes County Health Services. “Our hearts are heavy with this news, and we want to assure the community that Health Services is committed to containing transmission of this virus in central Oregon.”
Iman Simmons, director of operations for St. Charles and one of two incident commanders for the health system’s COVID-19 response, released a statement saying: “The first death of a Deschutes County resident is another sad milestone in this pandemic. “
“As we continue to see the number of COVID-19 cases grow exponentially in our community, it is important to remember that our best defense is to wash or disinfect our hands frequently and follow the governor’s orders. That includes wearing a mask when you’re indoors, and also outdoors, if you can’t keep at least 6 feet of physical distance from others, and limit meetings to 10 or fewer people, “Simmons added.
Tuesday’s death in Deschutes County was not reflected in the Oregon Health Authority’s update for the day, which indicated that seven other Oregon residents had died from COVID-19, the highest number since late April. County officials said it will be reported in Wednesday’s data.
The man was the second central Oregon resident to die from COVID-19, and the second in less than a week, after the death of a 63-year-old Crook County woman last week.
It was also the second COVID-19 death in St. Charles Bend since the pandemic began earlier this year. A Newberg woman died in mid-April at the hospital, but the Oregon Health Authority counts deaths and positive cases of COVID-19 by her place of residence.
Deschutes County Health Services said it wants to remind residents to take these steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Wear a mask when you go out in public or near people you don’t live with;
- Keep six feet of physical distance from people you don’t live with;
- Wash your hands often;
- Stay home if you feel sick; and
- Contact your doctor to be tested if you feel you have symptoms of COVID-19
If you have symptoms and need guidance on when to seek medical attention, call the COVID-19 hotline at 541-699-5109.
As of Tuesday, the Oregon Health Authority reports 276 cases of COVID-19 in Deschutes County. Of these, 198 are considered recovered. For local data and updates on COVID-19, visit the website at www.deschutes.org/covid-19.
