COVID-19 outbreak linked to music festival in Eastern Oregon
PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) — Local health leaders are looking into a COVID-19 outbreak linked to an outdoor music festival in Eastern Oregon.
KATU-TV reports Umatilla County Public Health Director Joseph Fiumara says officials have tied 66 COVID-19 cases to the Pendleton Whiskey Music Fest on July 10.
The public health director says outbreaks linked to outdoor music festivals are raising new concerns about outdoor transmission and the more contagious delta variant.
Fiumara says 61 of the people who tested positive were unvaccinated. Fiumara says 43 of the cases are among Umatilla County residents.
"With delta, some of our assumptions with how safe an outdoor event was, probably aren’t as good as they were with the original version of this virus,” Fiumara said. “I do think it means it’s not as safe as what we were comfortable with.”
Health leaders continue to encourage those not yet vaccinated to get the vaccine.
“My advice to folks, is first, get vaccinated. It’s not 100%, but it will likely keep you out of the hospital and lower your risk of death,” Fiumara said.
