Oregon smashes another record, reports 1,122 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths
Weekly case count jumps 46%; positive test rate rises sharply, to nearly 12%
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Health Authority reported another daily record of 1,122 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday and said the virus has claimed four more lives, raising the state’s death toll to 746. A weekly report also showed a 46% jump in cases and sharp rise in positive test rates.
OHA reported 1,122 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Thursday, bringing the state total to 53,779 cases and 881,998 negative test results.
Thursday’s total is the highest number of cases reported in a single day since the pandemic started in Oregon, eclipsing Saturday's record of 988 cases.
"Small social gatherings continue to act as a catalyst for COVID-19 transmission," the agency reported. "For example, a portion of this week’s rising cases can be attributed to at least five Halloween events, from small social gatherings to a party attended by more than 100 people."
Thursday’s new cases are under investigation and cannot be attributed yet to a source.
The Oregon Health Authority again urged all Oregonians to:
- Limit social gatherings to your household, or no more than six people if the gathering includes those from outside your household.
- Reduce the frequency of those social gatherings (the majority of Oregonians are now socializing 3 times or less every two weeks).
- Keep the same six people in your social gathering circle.
- While these social gathering precautions are in place for the nine counties covered by Governor Brown’s “pause” declaration, they are effective COVID-19 prevention steps for all Oregonians.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported Thursday are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (20), Clackamas (102), Clatsop (1), Columbia (8), Crook (5), Curry (3), Deschutes (28), Douglas (14), Grant (4), Harney (1), Hood River (3), Jackson (123), Jefferson (1), Josephine (4), Klamath (9), Lane (65), Lincoln (1), Linn (8), Marion (102), Morrow (3), Multnomah (351), Polk (19), Umatilla (44), Union (2), Wasco (5), Washington (169), and Yamhill (26).
Crook County has had 156 COVID-19 caes, five deaths and 3,568 negative test results. Deschutes County has had 1,559 cases, 14 deaths and 42,815 negative test results. Jefferson County has had 660 cases, 11 deaths and 6,158 negative test results.
St. Charles Health Systems reported 13 COVID-19 patients as of 7 a.m. Thursday, two of whom were in the ICU and on a ventilator.
Oregon’s 743rd COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 13 and died on Nov. 11 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Riverbend. He did not have underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 744th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Nov. 4 and died on Nov. 5. Place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 745th COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 14 and died on Nov. 11 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 746th COVID-19 death is a 35-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 5 and died on Nov. 9 in his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Gov. Kate Brown posted a video statement Thursday regarding the record COVID-19 case count.
In it, she said the case count's sharp rise will get worse "if we don't change course right now. … If not, we will soon reach a breaking point. Our communities and our economy will be hit on a scale unthinkable a few short weeks ago."
Brown said she is "working with health care advisers on what difficult steps are necessary to stop the spread," and again urged Oregonians to "please do your part" by wearing a mask whenever in public, staying home if sick and to practice frequent hand-washing and social disdtancing.
"The coming weeks are going to be tough," she warned.
COVID-19 Weekly Report
The Oregon Health Authority released its COVID-19 Weekly Report today which showed that during the week of Nov. 2-8, OHA recorded 5,177 new cases of COVID-19 infection—up 46% from last week’s tally of 3,542.
This is the third consecutive week daily case counts set a record high for the pandemic.
The number of newly tested Oregonians rose to 34,307 and the percentage of positive tests rose sharply to 11.9%.
Forty-two Oregonians were reported to have died in association with COVID-19—compared to 37 the previous week and 212 were hospitalized.
People aged 20 to 49 accounted for the largest percentage of infection at 55%, despite accounting for 39% of the total population. Persons under 30 accounted for 37% of the cases.
People over 80 accounted for 51% of COVID-19 associated deaths and people over 70 accounted for 74% of deaths associated with the illness.
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.
