Oregon reports 4 more COVID-19 related deaths, 696 new cases
OHA says it received 1,500 backlogged Deschutes County negative test results
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — There are four newly reported COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 6,652, the Oregon Health Authority reported Wednesday.
OHA reported 696 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, bringing the state total to 695,323.
OHA and ODE hold media briefing on new COVID-19 guidance
Dean Sidelinger, M.D., health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA, and Colt Gill, director of the Oregon Department of Education, spoke to the media Wednesday about changes to COVID-19 guidance and the Ready School Safe Learners Resiliency Framework, starting March 12.
Dr. Sidelinger’s comments are here. Director Colt’s comments are here.
A link to the media availability is here.
COVID-19 weekly cases, hospitalizations decline, deaths rise
OHA’s COVID-19 Weekly Data Report, released Wednesday, showed declines in weekly cases and COVID-19-related hospitalizations, but higher deaths.
OHA reported 5,337 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, Feb. 21 through Sunday, Feb. 28 – a 43% decline from the previous week, and a 90% drop from the peak case level Oregon experienced the week of Jan. 17 through Jan 23.
During the week of Feb. 21 through Feb. 28, there were 438 COVID-19-related hospitalizations, a 31% decrease over the previous week. COVID-19-related deaths increased to 137 from 111 the previous week.
Reported COVID-19 test results dropped 13%. There were 113,657 tests administered. Test positivity dropped to 6.4%.
Wednesday’s COVID-19 Weekly Outbreak report shows 268 total active outbreaks in care facilities, senior living communities and congregate living settings, with three or more confirmed COVID-19 cases or one or more COVID-19-related deaths.
COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 424, which is 36 fewer than Tuesday. There are 71 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is three fewer than Tuesday.
There are 99 available adult ICU beds out of 655 total (15% availability) and 319 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,270 (7% availability).
| 3/2/2022 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 | 99(15%) | 43(13%) | 9(9%) | 24(27%) | 14(24%) | 0(0%) | 8(17%) | 1(4%) |
| Adult non-ICU beds available | 319(7%) | 78(4%) | 23(3%) | 60(10%) | 39(9%) | 12(24%) | 72(21%) | 35(29%) |
Statewide regions are as follows:
Region 1: Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Multnomah, Tillamook and Washington counties
Region 2: Benton, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties
Region 3: Coos, Curry, Douglas and Lane counties
Region 5: Jackson and Josephine counties
Region 6: Hood River, Gilliam, Sherman and Wasco counties
Region 7: Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake and Wheeler counties
Region 9: Baker, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union and Wallowa counties
St. Charles Bend reported 40 COVID-19-positive patients as of early Wednesday, three of whom were in the ICU, one on a ventilator. Two of the three ICU patients were not fully vaccinated, the hospital reported, while 19 of the 40 COVID-positive 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. 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 Wednesday that 6,044 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry Tuesday. Of that total, 455 were initial doses, 516 were second doses and 1,218 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 3,707 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry Tuesday.
The seven-day running average is now 3,649 doses per day.
Oregon has now administered 4,149,502 doses of Pfizer Comirnaty, 235,132 doses of Pfizer pediatric, 2,716,961 doses of Moderna and 268,720 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
As of Wednesday, 3,160,879 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 2,866,217 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 Wednesday.
Cases and deaths
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported Wednesday are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (25), Clackamas (54), Clatsop (3), Columbia (10), Coos (10), Crook (10), Curry (2), Deschutes (25), Douglas (19), Gilliam (1), Harney (1), Hood River (12), Jackson (59), Jefferson (2), Josephine (26), Klamath (12), Lake (1), Lane (77), Lincoln (5), Linn (44), Marion (40), Morrow (2), Multnomah (121), Polk (8), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (18), Union (1), Wasco (4), Washington (89) and Yamhill (10).
Note: Due to delayed reporting, approximately 1,500 backlogged negative test results were received for Deschutes County on March 1. Results were from December 15, 2021, to March 1, 2022. As a result, test counts are higher than anticipated and percent positivity is lower than anticipated for March 1.
Oregon’s 6,649th COVID-19-related death is a 67-year-old man from Lincoln County who tested positive Jan. 20 and died Feb. 28. Location of death and underlying conditions are being confirmed.
Oregon’s 6,650th COVID-19-related death is a 58-year-old man from Columbia County who tested positive Jan. 6 and died Feb. 28 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 6,651st COVID-19-related death is a 66-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive Feb. 21 and died Feb. 27 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 6,652nd COVID-19-related death is a 69-year-old man from Benton County who tested positive Feb. 21 and died Feb. 28 at Good Samaritan Regional 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.
