Oregon reports 834 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 25 new deaths
OHA release – Oregon passes 400,000 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases – PORTLAND, Ore. — There are 25 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 5,381, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. Friday. OHA reported 834 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today bringing the state total to 400,188. Note: The summary tables for some OHA COVID-19 dashboards will be temporarily unavailable Friday from 5 to 11:59 p.m. while Tableau engineers perform routine maintenance. OHA appreciates your patience. In the nearly 22 months since the first case of COVID-19 was identified in Oregon, the state has crossed another milestone, recording more than 400,000 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases Thursday. “COVID-19 has impacted every community in our state from the most rural counties to our largest city, and Friday we are reminded again of just how many persons have been touched personally by the pandemic,” said Rachael Banks, Public Health Director. “Our communities of color have been disproportionately and unfairly impacted, from both hospitalizations and deaths following COVID-19 illness. OHA remains committed to addressing these inequities rooted in historic racism and discrimination, including its ongoing efforts to increase vaccination rates in these hardest hit groups to ensure they have the best possible protection from severe illness.” COVID-19 data collected shows cases rates remain more than twice as high among Tribal residents and persons who identify as Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders and nearly twice the rate among African-American and Latinx/o/a residents compared to whites in Oregon. While daily numbers of positive and suspected cases of COVID-19 have come down from the late summer surge tied to the spread of the Delta variant, Oregon is still counting more than 500 cases daily. The good news is, more than 80% of all Oregonian adults 18 years and older are now vaccinated, and as of Dec. 9, more than a quarter of adults have either received a booster or third dose for additional protection. For those who have not been vaccinated, appointments can be made in every county, including at pharmacies, local health providers, Tribal clinics, and community vaccination events. Boosters are also now recommended for all persons 16 years and older for those who are eligible. OHA also wants to thank all Oregonians who continue to care for their coworkers, neighbors and fellow residents by continuing to wear masks and distancing from others when possible. We also want to acknowledge the hardships COVID-19 illness has had on so many, who have been sickened, who may continue to experience health problems and who have taken measures such as isolating to protect others once they learned of their infection.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 392, which is 12 fewer than Thursday. There are 96 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is two more than Thursday. There are 57 available adult ICU beds out of 681 total (8% availability) and 291 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,168 (7% availability). The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity. Note: Please do not visit an emergency department for COVID-19 testing, unless you require emergency care for your symptoms. Emergency departments in Oregon are under significant strain. You can find a test here. If you have a medical condition that doesn’t require emergency care, contact your provider. An urgent care center may also help you get the care you need and will save emergency departments from added strain.
Vaccinations in Oregon
Friday, OHA reported that 30,482 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry Dec. 9. Of that total, 2,181 were initial doses, 2,444 were second doses and 11,096 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 14,662 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry Dec. 9. The seven-day running average is now 23,919 doses per day. Oregon has now administered 3,614,066 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 116,374 doses of Pfizer pediatric, 2,353,104 doses of Moderna and 248,635 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. As of today, 2,985,954 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,711,248 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series. These data are preliminary and subject to change. Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated Friday.
COVID-19 Cases & Deaths
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported Friday are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (14), Clackamas (66), Clatsop (6), Columbia (19), Coos (38), Crook (9), Curry (1), Deschutes (48), Douglas (40), Grant (1), Harney (2), Hood River (6), Jackson (42), Jefferson (9), Josephine (23), Klamath (8), Lane (63), Lincoln (19), Linn (49), Malheur (4), Marion (60), Morrow (3), Multnomah (125), Polk (25), Tillamook (9), Umatilla (11), Union (5), Wasco (2), Washington (86), Wheeler (9) and Yamhill (28). Oregon’s 5,361st COVID-19 related death is a 59-year-old woman from Coos County who tested positive Oct. 6 and died Oct. 11 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. She had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 5,378th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Coos County who died Nov. 6 at his residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death. He had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 5,379th COVID-19 related death is a 51-year-old woman from Coos County who tested positive Dec. 1 and died Dec. 9 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.