Oregon reports 2 new COVID-19 deaths, issues private office face covering guidance

Also: 22-case outbreak reported at Umatilla County onion processing plant

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 385, along with 323 new cases, 10 of them in Central Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority reported Friday.

OHA reported 323 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, bringing the state total to 22,613 cases, along with 450,494 negative test results.

The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (7), Benton (2), Clackamas (21), Clatsop (1), Coos (2), Deschutes (6), Hood River (8), Jackson (23), Jefferson (4), Josephine (6), Lane (4), Lincoln (3), Linn (9), Malheur (18), Marion (49), Morrow (10), Multnomah (52), Polk (13), Umatilla (37), Wasco (2), Washington (25), and Yamhill (21).

Oregon’s 384th COVID-19 death is a 73-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on July 25 and died August 12. Location of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 385th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on August 3 and died August 12 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Outbreak surpasses 20 cases

An outbreak of 22 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Columbia Basin Onion in Umatilla County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to an employee.

The outbreak investigation started August 1, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure. State and county public health officials are working with the company to address the outbreak and protect the health of workers.

New face covering guidance issued

Governor Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority have issued revised guidance requiring face coverings or face shields for employees in private office spaces, in addition to public office spaces. The guidance requires face coverings in public and private building hallways, bathrooms, elevators, lobbies, break rooms, and other common spaces, unless employees are at individual work spaces or in meeting rooms where 6 feet of distance from other people can be maintained.

The revised guidance also provides an exception for face coverings, allowing for the brief removal of face coverings in situations where someone’s identity needs to be confirmed for visual comparison, such as interactions in banks or with law enforcement.

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Stay informed about COVID-19:

Oregon response: The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management lead 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.