The Oregon Health Authority reported on Wednesday 1,000 new confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases and a further 21 deaths.
Meanwhile, Governor Kate Brown has announced what is a historic change in the course of Oregon’s response to the pandemic: from January 1, schools and their districts will be able to decide if and when they want to reopen.
“As we enter a new year, we must all face the challenges that COVID-19 presents and prioritize our children is the most urgent,” said Brown.
Districts and schools will no longer be tied to the coronavirus metrics established by the state that until now dictated which schools could allow face-to-face education. Instead, districts will have to incorporate these metrics into a more complicated, nuanced and decidedly local equation that will include contributions from health agencies, superintendents, students and teachers.
It will likely be weeks before any school reopens on its own, as they will have to deliberate first and then prepare to comply with state security guidelines. State officials will update these guidelines by January 19, said the governor’s office.
Where the new cases are by municipality: Baker (5), Benton (16), Clackamas (64), Clatsop (18), Columbia (10), Coos (7), Crook (3), Deschutes (41), Douglas (10), Grant (1), Hood River (5), Jackson (48), Jefferson (8), Josephine (17), Klamath (30), Lane (73), Lincoln (5), Linn (48), Malheur (20), Marion (127) , Morrow (1), Multnomah (209), Polk (28), Sherman (1), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (33), Union (2), Wasco (14), Washington (117), Wheeler (3) and Yamhill (32).
New deaths: Oregon’s 1,383th coronavirus death is an 84-year-old man from Clackamas County who had latent medical problems. He tested positive on December 9 and died on December 17 at his home.
COVID-19’s 1,384th death in Oregon was an 80-year-old woman from Clackamas County who tested positive on December 4 and died on November 29 at her home. The state still does not know if she had underlying diseases.
COVID-19’s 1,385th death in Oregon was an 84-year-old man from Columbia County who had underlying diseases. He tested positive on November 25 and died on December 19 at Oregon Health & Science University.
The death of 1,386th COVID-19 in Oregon is that of an 87-year-old man in Columbia County with underlying diseases. He tested positive on December 12 and died on December 22 at his home.
The death of 1,387th COVID-19 in Oregon is of an 87-year-old man from Jackson County with underlying diseases who tested positive on November 13 and died on December 21 at Ashland Community Hospital.
The death of 1,388th COVID-19 in Oregon is a 67-year-old man from Jefferson County who tested positive on November 26 and died on December 17 at his home. The state still does not know if it had underlying conditions.
The death of 1,389th COVID-19 in Oregon is an 82-year-old man from Jefferson County with underlying diseases. He tested positive on December 8 and died on December 17 at his home.
COVID-19’s 1390th death in Oregon was an 85-year-old man from Baker County who tested positive on December 19 and died on December 21 at St. Alphonsus Medical Center. The state still does not know if it had underlying conditions.
The death of 1,391th COVID-19 in Oregon is an 86-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on December 8 and died on December 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. The state still does not know if she had underlying diseases.
The death of 1,392th COVID-19 in Oregon is a 77-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on December 3 and died on December 21 at the PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Riverbend. The state still does not know if she had underlying diseases.
COVID-19’s 1,393th death in Oregon was a 78-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on December 3 and died on December 21 at his home. The state still does not know if it had underlying conditions.
The death of 1,394th COVID-19 in Oregon is a 91-year-old woman from Lane County with underlying diseases. She tested positive on December 12 and died on December 21 at the PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Riverbend.
COVID-19’s 1395th death in Oregon was a 96-year-old woman from Lincoln County, who tested positive on December 19 and died on December 21 at Samaritan Pacific Community Hospital. The state still does not know if she had underlying diseases.
The death of 1,397th COVID-19 in Oregon is an 82-year-old man from Multnomah County with underlying diseases. He tested positive on December 10 and died on December 18 at Portland VA Medical Center.
COVID-19’s 1,398th death in Oregon is a 53-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on December 12 and died on December 22. The state does not yet know where she died or whether she had underlying diseases.
COVID-19’s 1399th death in Oregon was a 96-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on December 10 and died on December 15 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. The state still does not know if she had underlying diseases.
The death of 1,400 COVID-19 in Oregon is an 86-year-old man from Polk County who tested positive on December 10 and died on December 21 at Salem Hospital. The state still does not know if it had underlying conditions.
The death of 1,401º COVID-19 in Oregon is a 75-year-old man from Umatilla County with underlying conditions who tested positive on December 1 and died on December 21 at Providence St. Mary’s Medical Center.
The death of 1,402nd COVID-19 in Oregon was an 84-year-old woman from Wasco County who had underlying diseases. She tested positive on December 5 and died on December 22 at Mid-Columbia Memorial Hospital.
The death of 1,403rd COVID-19 in Oregon is an 83-year-old woman from Wasco County with underlying diseases. She tested positive on December 15 and died on December 21 at the Mid-Columbia Memorial Hospital.
The prevalence of infections: On Wednesday, the state released 1,785 new positive tests out of 26,459 tests carried out, equivalent to a positivity rate of 6.7%.
Who was infected: New confirmed or suspected infections increased among the following age groups: 0-9 (44); 10-19 (92); 20-29 (196); 30-39 (150); 40-49 (129); 50-59 (126); 60-69 (98); 70-79 (47); 80 and older (17).
Who is in the hospital: The state reported that 527 Oregon residents with confirmed coronavirus infections were currently in the hospital on Wednesday, three more than on Tuesday. Of these, 109 patients with coronavirus were in intensive care units, 10 less than on Tuesday.
Since it started: Oregon reported 105,970 confirmed or presumed infections and 1,403 deaths, among the lowest totals in the country. To date, the state has reported 2,517,896 test lab reports.
– Fedor Zarkhin; [email protected]; 503-294-7674