The Oregon Health Authority reported on Thursday 871 new confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus and 12 more deaths.
While it is ostensibly a continuation of Oregon’s several-week decline in the number of cases, Thursday’s low count was caused by delays in laboratories, state officials said. The average weekly case count per day is about 1,130 new cases per day, down from 1,550 two weeks ago.
The state continues its vaccination campaign, adding almost 2,800 people to the list of those who received their first coronavirus vaccine, for a total of 14,524, by midnight.
It is a drop in the ocean close to the approximately 360,000 people scheduled to be immunized first, and a drop in the ocean close to the 3 million or more Oregonians who must be vaccinated to obtain collective immunity. But tens of thousands of doses are expected to continue to arrive, a steady flow that should spell the end of the pandemic.
Researchers at the University of Oregon concluded that many Oregon residents are afraid to get the vaccine because of misconceptions about its risks and total misinformation. They urged public health officials to take immediate steps to distribute accurate information while there is still time to change people’s views.
Among other things, researchers want health agencies to proactively track and unmask conspiracy theories.
[Oregon schools can decide to reopen starting Jan. 1, Governor Kate Brown says]
Here are the latest news about coronavirus in Oregon:
Where the new cases are by municipality: Baker (8), Benton (9), Clackamas (59), Clatsop (3), Columbia (4), Coos (10), Crook (5), Curry (7), Deschutes (32), Douglas (9), Grant (2), Harney (2), Hood River (12), Jackson (29), Jefferson (11), Josephine (32), Klamath (46), Lane (67), Lincoln (16), Linn (33) , Malheur (21), Marion (83), Morrow (5), Multnomah (188), Polk (13), Tillamook (9), Umatilla (32), Union (7), Wasco (11), Washington (79) and Yamhill (27).
New deaths: The coronavirus-related 1,404 death in Oregon was an 89-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on December 17 and died on December 23 at the Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. The state still does not know if she had underlying diseases.
COVID-19’s 1,405th death in Oregon occurred in Clackamas County, 90 years old. The person tested positive on December 16 and died on December 22 at his home. The state does not yet know what sex the person was or had underlying diseases.
The death of 1,406th COVID-19 in Oregon was that of a 55-year-old man from Clatsop County who tested positive on December 17 and died on December 23 at Pacific Seaside Hospital. He had no underlying conditions.
The death of 1,407th COVID-19 in Oregon was a 59-year-old man from Hood River County who tested positive on December 3 and died at his home. The state does not yet know when he died or if he had underlying diseases.
The death of 1,408th COVID-19 in Oregon is an 85-year-old woman from Jackson County with underlying diseases. She tested positive on November 10 and died on December 22 at her home.
The death of 1,409th COVID-19 in Oregon is a 58-year-old man from Klamath County with underlying diseases. He tested positive on November 19 and died on December 20 at Sky Lakes Medical Center.
COVID-19’s 1,410th death in Oregon was a 66-year-old man from Malheur County who tested positive on December 7 and died on December 21 at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. The state still does not know if it had underlying conditions.
COVID-19’s 1,411th death in Oregon is an 87-year-old woman from Marion County with underlying diseases. She tested positive on November 30 and died on December 20 at her home.
COVID-19’s 1,412th death in Oregon is an 88-year-old woman from Marion County with underlying diseases. She tested positive on December 3 and died on December 19 at her home.
COVID-19’s 1,413th death in Oregon is a 92-year-old woman from Multnomah County with underlying diseases. She tested positive on December 10 and died on December 10. The state still does not know where she died.
COVID-19’s 1,414th death in Oregon is a 72-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on November 28 and died on December 18 at the St. Mary Medical Center. The state still does not know if she had underlying diseases.
COVID-19’s 1,415th death in Oregon was a 62-year-old woman from Yamhill County who tested positive on December 14 and died on December 18 at her home. The state still does not know if she had underlying diseases.
The prevalence of infections: On Thursday, the state reported 1,341 new positive tests out of 19,586 tests performed, equaling a positive rate of 6.8.
Who was infected: New confirmed or presumed infections grew between the following age groups: 0-9 (30); 10-19 (87); 20-29 (153); 30-39 (135); 40-49 (129); 50-59 (118); 60-69 (98); 70-79 (55); 80 and older (44).
Who is in the hospital: The state reported that 495 Oregon residents with confirmed coronavirus infections were in the hospital on Thursday, 32 fewer than on Wednesday. Of these, 101 patients with coronavirus were in intensive care units, eight fewer than on Wednesday.
Since it started: Oregon reported 106,821 confirmed or suspected infections and 1,415 deaths, among the lowest totals in the country. To date, the state has reported 2,537,482 test lab reports.
– Fedor Zarkhin; [email protected]; 503-294-7674