Deschutes County reports 2 more COVID-19 cases, total of 3

Both adults and self-isolating, officials say

(Update: More details from county health official)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Deschutes County said late Friday it has received notification that two adults in Deschutes County have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the county’s count to three presumptive positive cases.

County Public Health communicable disease nurses are conducting contact investigations to identify and isolate any individuals who may have been in close contact with the either case in the last 14 days.

"The individuals who tested positive are self-isolating and complying with public health recommendations," the announcement said.

“Our communicable disease nurses are working to notify all close contacts of the new cases,” said county Communicable Disease Supervisor Jill Johnson. “Our goal is to provide the public with the information they need to protect their health while respecting the privacy of individuals.”

Deschutes County said it is in close coordination with Oregon Health Authority about these cases.

“Now that laboratory capacity has expanded in Oregon, test results are coming in from multiple locations,” said OHA spokesperson Allyson Hagen. “It is important that local communities have the information they need as soon as possible. Some counties may release county data sooner than reported on the Oregon Health Authority website, because OHA updates its website daily: healthoregon.org/coronavirus.”

Both of the new patients have traveled recently, county Health Information Officer Morgan Emerson told NewsChannel 21 Friday evening, though she did not know if it was international travel.

"We're trying to balance getting information out to everyone" with the federal patient privacy laws and efforts by communicable disease nurses to get the adults' back history.

"If we found something in their history that made us believe other members of the public were exposed, we would absolutely be releasing that info to the public," Emerson said. "Everything we know right now says there's no additional steps the public could take to protect themselves by sharing any of that information."

When it's pointed out that the announcements of the recent Linn County veterans' cases provided their age range and gender, as well as a specific location, Emerson said the OHA "hasn't given us clear guidance."

"It puts us in a hard position," she said. "I get that not having that information is very scary." She said that's why Deschutes County put out information it had on the two new presumptive cases Friday evening, rather than wait for the OHA to announce it later.

Health officials continue to urge all Oregonians to take steps to protect those who are most vulnerable to complications from COVID-19. Those considered “high risk” include adults 60 and older, or anyone with a serious health condition, including: lung or heart problems, kidney disease, or diabetes, or anyone who has a suppressed immune system.

People vulnerable to complications should follow federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to stay home as much as possible and avoid gatherings.

Every resident should take these basic steps to protect those most at risk:

• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home if you feel ill.

The COVID-19 virus spreads like the flu, when someone who is sick coughs or sneezes close to another person (close means about 6 feet).
After someone contracts COVID-19, illness usually develops within 14 days.

Symptoms mirror those of the flu, including fever, cough, runny nose, headache, sore throat and general feelings of illness. That has made it more difficult for health officials to identify sick individuals and stop the virus from spreading.As testing capacity increases, officials expect the number of people who test positive with COVID-19 to rise.

To stay up to date on COVID-19, please visit www.deschutes.org/covid-19.