Oregon reports 1,562 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 48 new deaths, Dec. 17

PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed 48 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,262, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Oregon Health Authority reported 1,562 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, bringing the state total to 97,622. This daily media release includes an update on the COVID-19 Weekly Report and the Weekly Outbreak Report, along with a daily update on COVID-19 hospitalizations. Wednesday’s death reporting, coupled with Wednesday’s, represents the highest two-day death COVID-19-associated death toll since the beginning of the pandemic in Oregon. Each death is a sad reminder of the danger posed by the virus and of the need – even with vaccine now becoming available – for Oregonians to continue taking the steps to stem the spread of the virus by doing the following: Maintain 6 feet of physical distance. Wear a face covering when outside the house. Practice good hand hygiene. Avoid gatherings with non-household members. If you have symptoms, consult with a medical provider quickly to get instructions on how to care for yourself and your household members and whether to get tested. The surge in reported deaths is the result of steadily high daily case counts and the manner of processing death reports.  The counting of deaths from death certificates may take additional time to process because they are determined by physicians and then sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further review and confirmation. The information is then reported back to states.