Oregon reports 12 more COVID-19 related deaths, 1,836 new cases, 885 hospitalizations

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 12 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 3,661, the Oregon Health Authority reported Thursday.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,836 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Thursday, bringing the state total to 318,914.

OHA releases new COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough report

OHA’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released Thursday, found that 76.8% of the 11,994 reported COVID-19 cases between Sept. 12 through Sept. 18 occurred in people who were unvaccinated.

There were 2,778 breakthrough cases, accounting for 23.2% of all cases.

The average age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 49. Eighty-four cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings. There were 68 breakthrough cases in people aged 12 to 17.

To date, there have been 22,879 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. The average age of all cases is 48. Breakthrough cases have been reported in all 36 counties.

Cases of COVID-19 are far more common in unvaccinated people, OHA said. The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people during the past week was currently approximately four times higher than in vaccinated people.

To date, 4.5% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 0.9% have died. The average age of the people who died was 81.

Vaccination remains the most effective tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the agency said.

The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small, when compared to the more than 2.71 million Oregonians who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination series.

The latest breakthrough report can be found here.

Pediatric dashboard update

OHA on Thursday published additional features to the dashboard report of pediatric COVID-19 case data in Oregon. This dashboard is published weekly on Thursdays with the most recent full week’s (Sun. through Sat.) data.

Here are some key findings:

• In addition to reporting the cumulative percent of cases that are pediatric, the dashboard now shows these data by week. People under age 18 were disproportionately represented in the cases with illness onset last week (9/12/2021 – 9/18/2021).
• Pediatric case rates are highest among people ages 12-17 at 283.2 cases per 100,000, followed closely by people ages 6-11 at 259.2 cases per 100,000.
• In addition to reporting cumulative case rates by race or ethnicity, the dashboard now shows these data by week. This applies to weeks with 10 or more cases by race or ethnicity. Weekly inequities across case rates have decreased, but continue to persist.
  • The pediatric population estimates by race and ethnicity have been updated using data from the 2019 Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) from the American Community Survey. This change provides data that are more precise. As a result, case rate calculations by race and ethnicity have been updated.

“OHA understands children in communities of color have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and have experienced more cases than White children. We are working to address this by partnering with community organizations to hold testing and vaccine webinars and events across the state, and provide information and services in a variety of languages,” said Dr. Bukhosi Dube, senior health advisor, OHA. “While we are pleased the gap is closing, we continue to expand our work to ensure all those living in Oregon have access to vital vaccines and health care.”

COVID-19 hospitalizations

9/23/2021 Available Beds (and Percentage of Staffed Beds Available)
	Statewide	Region 1	Region 2	Region 3	Region 5	Region 6	Region 7	Region 9
Adult ICU beds available	56 (9%)	26 (7%)	12 (13%)	6 (15%)	6 (11%)	0 (0%)	2 (4%)	4 (16%)
Adult non-ICU beds available	381 (9%)	85 (4%)	60 (9%)	98 (16%)	40 (9%)	5 (10%)	49 (12%)	44 (38%)

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 885, which is 54 fewer than Wednesday. There are 263 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is seven fewer than Wednesday.

There are 56 available adult ICU beds out of 642 total (9% availability) and 381 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,234 (9% availability).

St. Charles Bend reported 83 COVID-19 patients as of early Thursday, 16 of whom were in the ICU, with all on ventilators. Fourteen of the 16 ICU patients and 67 of the 83 total patients were not fully vaccinated.

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 responding to the current surge in COVID-19. 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.  

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

Vaccinations in Oregon

OHA reported Thursday that 7,964 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Wednesday. Of this total, 3,924 were administered on Sept. 22: 1,612 were initial doses, 1,762 were second doses and 505 were third doses. The remaining 4,040 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Wednesday.

The seven-day running average is now 7,713 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 2,937,158 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,893,550 doses of Moderna and 212,116 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of Thursday, 2,717,918 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,483,452 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 Thursday.

Vaccines will help us ‘get to freedom’ 

Sharon Porter, a retired educator in La Grande, did not hesitate at all to get the COVID-19 vaccine. As a cancer patient, Sharon is grateful for the treatments that have kept her alive for many years. 

Because Sharon is immunocompromised, she got a third dose of the vaccine in August and appreciates “that extra measure of protection.” But she is still careful.   

Sharon says, “When I am in close proximity to an unmasked person, I get a bit panicked. I will not enter a store where masks are not worn. I feel sad about that, because I want to support local business.”   

Sharon is also grateful when people “care enough for people like me to mask up. I care about others and want to get past all this. We will not get to freedom until we all cooperate and get vaccinated, if medically able.”  

To Sharon, getting fully vaccinated is a powerful way “to help others in our community. That is celebration enough!”  

You can read the full story on OHA Vaccine News.  

Vaccines are safe and the most effective way to protect us against serious illness and hospitalizations due to COVID-19, OHA said. Find more information and a vaccine site near you today by visiting our Find a COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon web page.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported Thursday are in the following counties: Baker (9), Benton (22), Clackamas (133), Clatsop (18), Columbia (18), Coos (66), Crook (20), Curry (2), Deschutes (185), Douglas (67), Gilliam (2), Grant (4), Harney (11), Hood River (10), Jackson (90), Jefferson (39), Josephine (34), Klamath (49), Lake (11), Lane (141), Lincoln (8), Linn (65), Malheur (26), Marion (166), Morrow (7), Multnomah (231), Polk (48), Sherman (4), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (105), Union (13), Wallowa (11), Wasco (15), Washington (148) and Yamhill (54).

Oregon’s 3,650th COVID-19 related death is a 58-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 10 and died on Sept. 21 at Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 3,651st COVID-19 related death is a 59-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 7 and died on Sept. 21 at Mckenzie-Willamette Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 3,652nd COVID-19 related death is a 59-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 6 and died on Sept. 21 at Mckenzie-Willamette Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 3,653rd COVID-19 related death is a 41-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 17 and died on Sept.17 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 3,654th COVID-19 related death is a 70-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Sept. 5 and died on Sept. 19 at St. Anthony Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 3,655th COVID-19 related death is a 93-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 10 and died on Sept. 21 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 3,656th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 15 and died on Sept. 20 at Mckenzie-Willamette Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 3,657th COVID-19 related death is an 81-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Sept. 7 and died on Sept. 19 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 3,658th COVID-19 related death is an 83-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Sept. 8 and died on Sept. 20 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 3,659th COVID-19 related death is a 63-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 20 and died on Sept. 21 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 3,660th COVID-19 related death is a 72-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 6 and died on Sept. 10 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 3,661st COVID-19 related death is an 84-year-old woman from Clatsop County who tested positive on Sept. 11 and died on Sept. 18 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Note: More information is known about Oregon’s 3,646th COVID-19 related death, a 43-year-old woman from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 17 and died on Sept. 16. She was originally reported as a Marion County resident.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit OHA's webpage (English or Spanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information