Umatilla to “stay home” status, Morrow to Phase 1
SALEM, Oregon (KTVZ) – Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced Thursday night that Umatilla County will move from Phase 2 to a Permanent Baseline state, while Morrow County will move to Phase 1, both effective at noon on Friday.
COVID-19 has spread rapidly in both counties in the past month, with the governor noting that both counties had been placed on the state Watch List on July 3 and received additional support from state public health officials.
“COVID-19 has spread dramatically in Umatilla and Morrow counties in the past month,” said Brown. “My heart goes out to the families of Morrow County, Umatilla County and the Confederate tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation who have been affected by this disease.”
Brown continued: “If we don’t act immediately, we could see the virus spread even faster, infecting and killing more members of the community. I know this is difficult news for business owners and working families in the region. ”
COVID-19 Information for Umatilla County
- Umatilla County has more COVID-19 cases per capita than any other Oregon county, with 234 cases per 10,000 people.
- The county has a weekly test positivity rate of 23%, well above the state average.
- In the past two weeks, the county has reported an average of 51 new cases per day.
- About 45% of cases in Umatilla County in the past week are sporadic cases that cannot be traced back to a known source.
- The spread of COVID-19 in the county progressed from early outbreaks linked to social and family gatherings to outbreaks in large food processing facilities, as well as in other agricultural settings, workplaces, nursing homes, correctional facilities and among providers of medical attention.
- The Oregon Health Authority provided 7 case investigators and 29 contact trackers to Umatilla County on June 26, and has since continued to support the county with case investigators and contact trackers.
COVID-19 Update for Morrow County
- Morrow County has 213 cases per 10,000 people.
- The county has a weekly test positivity rate of 30%, well above the state average.
- Morrow County has reported an average of 7 new cases per day in the past two weeks.
- Approximately 52% of all cases in the past week were sporadic cases that could not be traced back to a known source.
- The Morrow County outbreak first started with social gatherings, but then led to cases involving large food processing facilities and agricultural facilities.
- The Oregon Health Authority deployed 2 case investigators and 1 public information officer in Morrow County on July 18.
“After weeks of trying other measures to control the disease, our only option is to temporarily close certain businesses and other community amenities,” said Brown. “I hope that these measures help the community to control the spread of COVID-19 quickly.”
These changes to the county’s reopening status will be in effect for 21 days. The governor’s office, along with public health experts, will review the situation and data weekly and act accordingly, in close communication with county leaders.
In the Stay Home baseline status, the following measures apply:
- All people should minimize all non-essential travel and stay in their home or place of residence as much as possible.
- All companies and nonprofits should implement work-from-home or telecommuting policies for employees to the fullest extent possible.
- Civic, cultural, and religious gatherings are limited to 25 people.
- All indoor and outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 people.
- Grocery and retail stores, museums, pharmacies, banks and credit unions, and service stations remain open.
- Restaurants must move only to take away or deliver.
- Gyms, shopping malls, venues, indoor and outdoor entertainment facilities and personal services that companies must close.
- Recreational and youth sports are no longer allowed.
- Pools, spas, sports courts, and playgrounds must close.
In Phase 1, recreational and youth sports, venues such as movie theaters, bowling alleys, game rooms, and swimming pools remain closed. Non-essential local trips are allowed. Personal services companies can operate with established health and safety measures.
Restaurants and bars are open for dinner until 10 pm with health and safety measures. Indoor social gatherings are limited to 10 people with physical distance, with other gatherings limited to 50 indoors, 50 outdoors.
This means that indoor gatherings, including faith-based, civic and cultural gatherings, are limited to 50 indoors and 50 outdoors.
The complete Phase 1 guide is available here, and all state meeting guides are available here.
