Oregon reports 40 more COVID-19 related deaths, 1,407 new cases

(Update: Adding details of deaths)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 40 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,275, the Oregon Health Authority reported Thursday.

OHA also reported 1,407 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Thursday, bringing the state total to 356,061.

State health officials to add more than 500 COVID-19 deaths due to technical error

Over the coming weeks, OHA will begin reporting approximately 550 deaths among people who died with COVID-19 but whose deaths only became recently known to state epidemiologists due to a technical computer error. 

This will result in higher death totals as the backlog is resolved.

More details can be found here.

COVID-19 Disease Severity Dashboard update highlights hospitalizations

OHA published Thursday a revamped Disease Severity Dashboard. In addition to case demographic data, the dashboard now features new data that highlights COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths in Oregon. Due to the nature of newly added visualizations, all data on this dashboard will be published weekly on Thursdays with data from the most recent full week.

The dashboard has three tabs: Case Demographics, Disease Severity and Severity Trends.

• The Case Demographics tab shows COVID-19 cumulative hospitalizations and deaths by sex, age group, race, and ethnicity.
• The Disease Severity tab shows factors related to COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.
• The Severity Trends tab looks at hospitalization trends and death trends, including graphs on the following:
  • A comparison between trends of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
  • Hospitalization trends by intensive care unit categories, presence of underlying condition, length of stay categories, age categories, race, and ethnicity.
  • Deaths trends by hospitalization status, presence of underlying condition, congregate settings, age categories, race, and ethnicity.

The visualization showing trends among new cases, hospitalizations and deaths reveals that cases and hospitalizations tend to rise before deaths. The visualizations also show that COVID-19 cases who were hospitalized or died have higher prevalence of all types of underlying conditions compared with COVID-19 cases who were not hospitalized or survived.

This updated dashboard can be found on the dashboard page.

OHA releases new COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough report

OHA’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released Thursday, found that 76.5% of the 6,446 reported COVID-19 cases between Oct. 10 through Oct. 16, occurred in people who were unvaccinated.

There were 1,977 breakthrough cases, accounting for 23.5% of all cases.

The average age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 48. Thirty-five breakthrough cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings. There were 88 cases in people ages 12 to 17.

To date, there have been 32,954 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 is currently four times higher than in vaccinated people.

To date, 4.4% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and 1% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 80.

"Vaccination remains the most effective tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19," OHA said. "The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small when compared to the more than 2.79 million Oregonians who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine."

The latest breakthrough report can be found here.

Last week, OHA added three new features to the breakthrough report. Data is now available by vaccine manufacturer, including the number of breakthrough cases and their severity. This report also shows the number of Oregonians who received each vaccine, as well as the number of breakthrough cases per 100,000 vaccinated people.

OHA also expanded demographic data to include race and ethnicity for breakthrough cases, hospitalizations, and deaths and a map showing cumulative breakthrough cases for each county. In general, breakthrough case totals correspond with population size, vaccination rates, and overall case counts.

Pediatric weekly dashboard update

OHA published Thursday its latest dashboard report of pediatric COVID-19 case data in Oregon.

This dashboard replaces the previous report and is published weekly on Thursdays with the most recent full week’s data.

COVID-19 hospitalizations

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 567, which is one fewer than Wednesday. There are 133 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is seven more than Wednesday.

There are 48 available adult ICU beds out of 706 total (7% availability) and 265 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,115 (6% availability). 

10/21/2021 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	48 (7%)	26 (7%)	5 (6%)	8 (9%)	4 (7%)	1 (10%)	0 (0%)	4 (15%)
Adult non-ICU beds available	265 (6%)	56 (3%)	16 (3%)	78 (14%)	30 (7%)	8 (18%)	38 (9%)	39 (33%)

St. Charles Bend reported 82 COVID-19 patients early Thursday, 15 of whom were in the ICU, with 14 on ventilators. None of the 15 ICU patients were fully vaccinated, the hospital said, while 62 of the 82 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 14,240 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry on Wednesday. Of that total, 871 were initial doses, 933 were second doses and 3,558 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 8,835 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Thursday.

The seven-day running average is now 9,309 doses per day.

Oregon has now administered 3,208,051 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 1,935,312 doses of Moderna and 223,943 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

As of Thursday, 2,793,594 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,580,142 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.

"Magic" team brings vaccination confidence to Oregon — and the world

As a refugee services provider Catholic Charities Oregon has a mission — to create trusting relationships with the families and communities they serve.   

Through a partnership with the Oregon Health Authority, Catholic Charities hired a team of COVID-19 Community Engagement Specialists in early 2021. This team rapidly took on the work of supporting their communities.

“We are a group of individuals from different backgrounds and nationalities who work for Catholic Charities with pride,” said Chomba Kaluba, who is originally from Zambia and serves the Congolese- and Swahili-speaking communities. “The power of numbers is what each one of us brings as a strength. And that strength is from all backgrounds; our values, beliefs and passion.”

He came up with the idea of making language- and culturally-specific videos about the vaccine to amplify vaccination confidence. Clackamas County Public Health provided a producer to film and edit the work.

Chomba Kaluba

Two other team members, Abidah Jamaluddin and Lung Wah Lazum both originally came from the same country, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), but they represent different cultures. The pair decided to make videos in both Burmese and Rohingya to broaden their reach.

The group felt it was essential to meet people where they are.  

“It is because we are immigrants,” said Kaluba. “We are coming from backgrounds which might have lacked a health education, might have lacked access to health care, might have different political systems or economic systems.”

“We have been able to reach the world because someone in Burma, they'll see that video on YouTube and they'll go, 'Wow - I can get vaccinated.’ So maybe somehow, we are trying to do what they say is teaching in time saves nine. So maybe we are saving lives somewhere else,” he said.

You can read more at Oregon Vaccine News and watch the videos in Burmese, English, French, Rohingya, Somali and Swahili.

Cases and COVID-19 deaths

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported Thursday are in the following counties: Baker (10), Benton (29), Clackamas (108), Clatsop (1), Columbia (16), Coos (31), Crook (40), Curry (2), Deschutes (146), Douglas (46), Gilliam (1), Grant (5), Harney (16), Hood River (5), Jackson (75), Jefferson (15), Josephine (15), Klamath (67), Lake (6), Lane (113), Lincoln (8), Linn (49), Malheur (22), Marion (98), Morrow (4), Multnomah (190), Polk (37), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (50), Union (11), Wallowa (3), Wasco (10), Washington (144) and Yamhill (29).

Oregon’s 4,236th COVID-19 related death is an 89-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 7 and died on Sept. 15 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,237th COVID-19 related death is a 68-year-old man from Lincoln County who tested positive on Sept. 8 and died on Oct. 8 at Portland VA Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,238th COVID-19 related death is a 55-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 17 and died on Oct. 20 at Mckenzie Willamette Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,239th COVID-19 related death is a 64-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive on Oct. 1 and died on Oct. 19 at Peacehealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,240th COVID-19 related death is a 45-year-old woman from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 2 and died on Oct. 14 at Renown South Meadows Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,241st COVID-19 related death is a 57-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 20 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,242nd COVID-19 related death is an 83-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 9 and died on Oct. 20 at Ashland Community Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,243rd COVID-19 related death is an 81-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 24 and died on Sept. 14 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,244th COVID-19 related death is a 50-year-old woman from Columbia County who first became symptomatic on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 20 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,245th COVID-19 related death is a 26-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Sept. 25 and died on Sept. 28 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,246th COVID-19 related death is an 81-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on Sept. 2 and died on Sept. 18 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,247th^h COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old woman from Baker County who tested positive on Sept. 21 and died on Oct. 19 at St Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,248th COVID-19 related death is a 56-year-old woman from Linn County who tested positive on Oct. 6 and died on Oct. 11 at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,249th COVID-19 related death is an 85-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Sept. 20 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,250th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Aug. 31 and died on Sept. 21 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,251st COVID-19 related death is a 70-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Aug. 31 and died on Sept. 10 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,252nd COVID-19 related death is an 80-year-old man from Tillamook County who tested positive on Aug. 29 and died on Sept. 10; location of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,253rd COVID-19 related death is a 38-year-old man from Tillamook County who tested positive on Aug. 22 and died on Sept 111; location of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,254th COVID-19 related death is a 50-year-old woman from Tillamook County who tested positive on Aug. 17 and died on Sept. 1 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,255th COVID-19 related death is a 41-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive on Oct. 1 and died on Oct. 11 at Adventist Health Portland. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,256th COVID-19 related death is an 87-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 21 and died on Oct. 8 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,257th COVID-19 related death is a 69-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Sept. 21 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,258th COVID-19 related death is an 88-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive on Aug. 22 and died on Oct. 11 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,259th COVID-19 related death is a 62-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 14 and died on Oct. 18 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,260th COVID-19 related death is a 93-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 14 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,261st COVID-19 related death is a 61-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 16 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,262nd COVID-19 related death is a 74-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 26 and died on Oct.16 at Santiam Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,263rd COVID-19 related death is an 83-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died on Oct. 18 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,264th COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died on Oct. 15 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,265th COVID-19 related death is a 78-year-old man from Umatilla County who tested positive on Sept. 3 and died on Sept. 23 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,266th COVID-19 related death is an 86-year-old woman from Umatilla County who tested positive on Aug.6 and died on Aug. 20 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,267th COVID-19 related death is an 84-year-old woman from Union County who died on Sept. 25 at his residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,268th COVID-19 related death is a 79-year-old man from Yamhill County who tested positive on Oct.14 and died on Oct. 19 at Willamette Valley Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,269th COVID-19 related death is an 87-year-old man from Yamhill County who tested positive on Oct. 4 and died on Oct. 17 at Providence Newberg Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,270th COVID-19 related death is a 97-year-old woman from Washington County who first became symptomatic on Oct. 3 and died on Oct. 19 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,271st COVID-19 related death is a 66-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 24 and died on Oct. 19 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 4,272nd COVID-19 related death is a 73-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 21 and died on Oct. 10 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,273rd COVID-19 related death is a 76-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive on Sept. 16 and died on Oct. 11 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,274th COVID-19 related death is a 44-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 22 and died on Sept. 29 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 4,275th COVID-19 related death is a 78-year-old man from Wasco County who tested positive on Oct. 15 and died on Oct. 19 at Mid-Columbia Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations  

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