Oregon reached a troubling milestone Thursday in the coronavirus pandemic as the number of confirmed or suspected positive cases reached 437, a record number for a single day since the virus was first confirmed in the state more than four months ago. . Two people also died from COVID-19.
State health authorities warned that there is a risk of even faster growth. The percentage of tests that tested positive has increased, to 6.2 percent, and in about half of all new cases, researchers cannot explain how the infected person was exposed to COVID-19.
The Oregon Health Authority said the more densely populated Portland area is driving the increase in the number of cases again, with more than 200 cases in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties.
Known hot spots away from Portland are also increasing in numbers, with Marion County reporting 53 cases and Umatilla County reporting the majority of cases outside of the Willamette Valley with 50.
OHA officials said the outbreaks are occurring “when people gather to celebrate with family and friends,” including at graduations, birthdays, weddings, and holidays.
State officials said both coronavirus-related deaths occurred Thursday in Malheur County, in the southeast corner of Oregon. One was a 97-year-old man who died yesterday after testing positive on June 29. The other was a 58-year-old woman who died on July 13 after testing positive the week before.
Officials continue to urge people to wear masks, limit the size of meetings, stay away from each other, and “find alternative ways to participate for those who are vulnerable” at events.
Related: COVID-19 in Oregon: By the Numbers
New Oregon COVID-19 Cases by Zip Code
This map shows new cases of COVID-19 in every ZIP code in Oregon. Zip codes are colored by Number of cases per 10,000 inhabitants. ZIPs are shaded to show contrast; rates in Oregon are still lower than most in the U.S.
Washington in more than 44,000 COVID-19 cases
Health officials in Clark County, Washington, reported 46 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the county’s total to 1,390. Public health officials have reported 33 deaths in the county in southwest Washington since the start of the pandemic.
According to the latest available data, Washington has 44,313 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1,427 known deaths. As of Wednesday, the coronavirus has led to the hospitalization of 4,944 people in Washington.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee warned that if case numbers don’t improve, he may need to start shutting down the economy again. Counties statewide must remain in their current reopening phase until at least July 28.
Oregon families, school staff express concerns about return to in-person learning
When the coronavirus closed schools across the state, parents, students, and school employees had a difficult adjustment. What started as “supplemental” learning became “Distance Learning for All,” and for some, academics were left behind in the face of more essential needs like staying healthy and keeping food on the table. Expectations fell as schools lowered letter grades and judged students in passing / incomplete form.
In the survey responses collected by OPB in the spring, parents shared their concerns: that students fall further behind, that students’ mental health and well-being may decrease, and that distance learning was both too much. challenging for some and too easy for others.
While everyone may want to get back to normal this fall, that is not going to happen. There are health and safety guidelines to follow. Schools that open will do so with smaller groups of students. And many families say they feel more comfortable staying home, learning remotely.
Read more: Oregon families and school staff express concern about back to school
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