UPDATE (1:46 pm PT) – Coronavirus diagnoses continued to rise Saturday in Oregon, and health officials reported 277 new confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19. That brings the state total to 8,094 known cases.
Most of the new cases occurred in Multnomah County, with 59 people diagnosed. The Oregon Health Authority reported 44 new diagnoses in Washington County and 16 in Clackamas County. Additionally, there were 56 new cases reported in Umatilla County.
The Oregon Health Authority reported a new death Saturday, bringing the state total to 202 deaths.
OHA details the new death as an 84-year-old man in Multnomah County who became symptomatic on June 21, after being in close contact with another person with the coronavirus. He died on June 22. His place of death is being confirmed and he had underlying medical conditions.
As of Friday, 149 people were hospitalized with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide, including 35 who are on ventilators. The coronavirus has led to the hospitalization of 1,022 people in Oregon during the pandemic.
Washington state postpones final phase of reopening
Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced Saturday that the state would pause counties to move to Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan. Eight counties were eligible to move from Phase 3 to Phase 4 before the break.
Inslee noted growing cases across the state and concerns about the continued spread of COVID-19.
The Phase 4 guidelines would essentially mean that the restrictions would be removed entirely, which Inslee said is impossible at the moment.
“Phase 4 would mean a return to normal activity and we cannot do it now because of the continued increase in cases across the state,” Inslee said.
“We all want to go back to doing all the things we love in Washington over the summer and fully open our economy, but we are not here yet. This is an evolving situation and we will continue to make decisions based on the data. ”
Clark County requested to move to Phase 3 on Friday night. The county remains in Phase 2 at this time.
Health officials in Clark County, Washington, reported 17 new cases of coronavirus on Friday. That brings the county total to 758. Public health officials did not report any additional deaths, with a total retention of 29.
The Washington Department of Health reported 30,855 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state and 1,300 known deaths. As of Friday, the coronavirus has led to the hospitalization of 4,194 people in Washington.
New Oregon Model Suggests Increased Case Transmission
The new model released by the Oregon Health Authority on Friday suggests that coronavirus transmission has increased since some counties began reopening on May 15.
The report, produced by the Institute for Disease Modeling in conjunction with OHA, is based on data as of June 18. He estimates that the daily levels of coronavirus cases in the state could increase up to 20% in the worst case. That translates to 4,850 more new infections per day and 74 more hospitalizations per day before July 16.
The report states that the best, moderate, and worst-case scenarios in the report are uncertain predictions.
“This latest model provides us with a sobering reminder that we must all protect ourselves against continued spread, especially as we continue to reopen and the weather warms,” Dean Sidelinger, a state epidemiologist, said Friday in a call with members of the media.
Along with a recent increase in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations have also increased, the OHA said. State hospitalization data was consistent with a 15% increase in coronavirus transmission after May 15, according to the report, and a further 10% increase after May 22, the Friday before Memorial Day. Fallen.
Sidelinger urges Oregonians to avoid large gatherings, especially as the July 4 holiday approaches.
“Think hard about meeting with people outside your home. In Oregon, cases accelerated after Memorial Day. We don’t want the same thing to happen after the upcoming Independence Day vacation, ”Sidelinger said.
Sidelinger said that people should still be six feet away from each other.
“Limit the number of people at the barbecue or picnic, make sure that people can stay far enough apart and interact as much as possible outside,” he said.
.
