Oregon reports 2 more COVID-19 deaths; total at 72
Two more in Deschutes County, for total of 63; Oregon's positive test results less than one-third US average
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 72, the Oregon Health Authority reported Saturday.
OHA also reported 59 new cases of COVID-19 as of 8 a.m. Saturday, bringing the state total to 1,844 cases and 35,739 negative test results.
The new COVID-19 cases reported Saturday are in the following counties: Clackamas (1), Curry (1), Deschutes (2, for a total of 63), Jackson (1), Klamath (2), Linn (2), Marion (18), Multnomah (26), Polk (1), Umatilla (2), and Washington (4).
A case originally reported as a Yamhill County case was later determined to be a Polk County case. The total number of new cases in Polk County is 1 to reflect this change. However, the case that moved from Yamhill County to Polk County is not reflected in the total of new cases statewide for Saturday.
To see more case and county-level data, go to the Oregon Health Authority website, which OHA updates once a day: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus.
Oregon’s 71st COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old man in Clackamas County, who tested positive on April 2 and died on April 16 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.
Oregon’s 72nd COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old man in Marion County, who tested positive on April 2 and died on April 17 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying medical conditions.
Deschutes County has had 63 positive cases and 1,290 negative results. Crook County has had one positive case and 135 negative results, while Jefferson County has had one positive case and 123 negative results.
In the latest age breakdown, 37 of Oregon's 72 deaths have been ages 80 and over, with 19 who were 70-79, 14 who were in their 60s, and one each in their 40s and 50s. For total cases, only 7 percent were 80 and over, 11 percent in their 70s and 18 percent each in their 40s, 50s and 60s. There were 15 percent in their 30s, 11 percent in their 20s and 2 percent 19 or younger.
In terms of genders, the split has been fairly even, with 35 of the deaths female and 37 male. Of the total cases, 24 percent had been hospitalized and 71 percent were not.
Testing update
OHA continues to provide COVID-19 testing through the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory (OSPHL) while Oregon hospitals continue building their laboratory testing capacity. Several Oregon hospital laboratories and commercial laboratories, such as Quest and LabCorp, provide external testing capacity for the state.
OHA is in the process of updating its testing guidance for providers and for OSPHL to augment testing in support of testing goals, including:
- Protect health care providers, first responders and critical infrastructure workers.
- Increase access to testing in health care settings to appropriately assess, triage and treat patients.
- Identify and control the spread of disease in congregate care settings.
- Eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 health outcomes.
Longer-term testing is a key strategy for understanding the transmission of the virus and population prevalence of disease. As of Friday, Oregon’s positive testing result has remained fairly consistent at about 5% of tests performed, as compared to the national average of 17.6%.
OSPHL continues to prioritize its testing to identify and control clusters of disease in congregate care settings, including long-term care and correctional facilities.
More information is available at the daily update from the Oregon Emergency Coordination Center.
