The Oregon Health Authority announced 382 new suspected or confirmed cases and two new deaths linked to COVID-19 on Thursday, the highest daily case count since mid-August.
The growth in cases continues an alarming trend that began Tuesday, when Oregon saw a marked increase in case counts, positivity rates and hospitalizations.
The agency acknowledged the uptick, saying the count was “a reminder of the importance of staying six feet apart from each other; wearing a face covering when six feet of physical distance cannot be maintained and limiting the size of gatherings.”
Where the new cases are by county: Baker (1), Benton (8), Clackamas (32), Clatsop (4), Columbia (1), Coos (2), Crook (1), Deschutes (5), Douglas (5), Grant (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (20), Jefferson (5), Josephine (1), Klamath (2), Lake (1), Lane (38), Linn (15), Malheur (15), Marion (48), Morrow (4) Multnomah (92), Polk (3), Umatilla (11), Union (4) Wasco (6), Washington (50) and Yamhill (6).
New fatalities: Oregon’s 538th death linked to coronavirus is an 88-year-old Douglas County man with underlying health conditions. He tested positive Sept. 13 and died Sept. 20 at Mercy Medical Center.
The 539th fatality is an 82-year-old Malheur County man with underlying medical conditions. He tested positive Sept. 4 and died Sept. 22 at Alphonsus Medical Center Ontario.
The prevalence of infections: State officials reported 368 new confirmed infections out of 4,379 people tested, equaling a 8.4% positivity rate.
Who got infected: New confirmed or presumed infections grew among the following age groups: 0-9 (20); 10-19 (34); 20-29 (79); 30-39 (78); 40-49 (53); 50-59 (44); 60-69 (30); 70-79 (17); 80 and older (6).
Who’s in the hospital: The state reported 139 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections were currently in the hospital Thursday, up just one over the previous day. Oregon remains well below its capacity, with hundreds of hospital beds and ventilators available.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 31,865 confirmed or presumed infections and 539 deaths, among the lowest totals in the nation. To date, 648,949 Oregonians have been tested.
Correction: A previous version of this story, based on information provided by the Oregon Health Authority, incorrectly stated the approximate date Oregon had last recorded so many reported cases in a single day.
— Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale
Read More News: Coronavirus in Oregon: State reports highest daily case count since mid-August
