PORTLAND, Ore.— Oregon Health Authority reported 13 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total to 88, as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday, March 19. The COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Linn (2), Marion (5), Multnomah (4) and Washington (2). Oregon Health Authority reports new cases once a day on its website: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. State prepares Oregon Medical Station – The Oregon Health Authority, together with the Oregon Military Department, is assembling the Oregon Medical Station (OMS) beginning Friday, March 19, at the Salem Fairgrounds. The OMS is a temporary mobile facility dedicated for emergency use in situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. The mobile facility will provide an alternate site for 250 patients currently in nursing home care. The OMS is one component of Oregon’s larger emergency preparedness plan. Here is a snapshot of the facility: It will include beds, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment to support 250 patients. It which will be staffed by members of the State Emergency Registry of Volunteers in Oregon (SERV-OR) and the Oregon Disaster Medical Team (ODMT). It will have staffing for 24/7 operations. It will be housed in the Jackson Long building at the Salem Fairgrounds in a state-owned building. It will use dedicated supplies that have been stored in Salem at the State and Federal Surplus Property. Military members from the Oregon Military Department, SERV-OR and ODMT have previous joint training experience for disaster-type events. All three groups have participated in an annual exercise known as Pathfinder-Minuteman, which presents multiple scenarios where first responders have causalities in need of immediate medical treatment. Stay informed about COVID-19: Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority leads the state response. United States response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the U.S. response. Global response: The World Health Organization guides the global response.
