September 9, 2020
This week, Oregon is facing an unprecedented threat from wildfires in all areas of the state. The state’s number one priority right now is saving lives as we fight more than 35 fires, burning 300,000+ acres across the state. Winds continue to fuel them. Places not burning now still face the worst fire condition risks in 30 years: Dry air, dry brush and hot winds. Everyone must be on high alert.
Pay attention to directions from firefighters, local officials and emergency responders. If you are asked to evacuate, do so immediately. Your choices could save lives.
Stay informed and stay safe. Follow evacuation orders and learn more at https://wildfire.oregon.gov.
With air quality very poor across the state due to wildfires, we want to remind you that exposure to smoke and other forms of pollution can increase the risk and severity of respiratory infections, including possibly COVID-19.
When smoke is heavy, the key protection strategy is to lessen exposure to the smoke, particularly for people who have a condition that makes them more sensitive. People can do this by staying inside at home, getting and using an air filter and spending time in cleaner air space. For those who are asked to evacuate or those who choose to leave home to go to an area with cleaner air, remember to take and use a face covering along with hand sanitizer and to practice physical distancing from non-household members.
If it’s safe to do so, staying home to lessen exposure to wildfire smoke also lessens the risk for contracting COVID-19. Further information on how to protect against wildfire smoke can be found at healthoregon.org/wildfires.
We know that facing this fire risk during an ongoing pandemic can feel overwhelming. The Centers for Disease Control provided this information about COVID-19 safety and evacuations, as well as reducing smoke exposure.
Know the difference between symptoms from smoke exposure and COVID-19:
- Some symptoms, like dry cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing can be caused by both wildfire smoke exposure and COVID-19.
- Learn about symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms like fever or chills, muscle or body aches and diarrhea are not related to smoke exposure. If you have any of these symptoms, the CDC COVID-19 Self-Checker can help you determine whether you need further assessment or testing for COVID-19. If you have questions after using the CDC COVID-19 Self-Checker, contact a healthcare provider.
- If you have severe symptoms, like difficulty breathing or chest pain, immediately call 911 or the nearest emergency facility.
If you will be staying with friends or family outside your household to evacuate:
- Talk to the people you plan to stay with about how you can all best protect yourselves from COVID-19.
- Consider if either of your households has someone who is at higher risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19, including older adults or people of any age who have underlying medical conditions. Make sure everyone knows what they can do to keep them safe from COVID-19.
- Follow everyday preventive actions, including covering coughs and sneezes, washing your hands often, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Consider taking extra precautions for people living in close quarters.
- Know what to do if someone in your family or in the household you are staying with becomes sick with COVID-19. Take steps to keep your pets safe.
Protect yourself and others while in a public shelter:
- Practice physical distancing. Stay at least six feet from other people outside of your household.
- Follow CDC COVID-19 preventive actions: Wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes and follow shelter policies for wearing masks. Avoid sharing food and drink with anyone if possible.
- Follow disaster shelter policies and procedures designed to protect everyone in the shelter, especially those who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, including older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions.
- Avoid touching high-touch surfaces, such as handrails, as much as possible. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol immediately after you touch these surfaces.
- Keep your living area in the shelter clean and disinfect frequently touched items.
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If you feel sick when you arrive at the shelter or start to feel sick while sheltering, tell shelter staff immediately.
Yesterday OHA released its Weekly Testing Summary, which showed that, of 26,855 people tested during the week of Aug. 30-Sept. 5, 1,163, or 4.3 percent were positive.
As in past weeks, the total for that week is likely to rise as test results continue to be reported to OHA.
As of Sept. 5, Oregon’s cumulative positivity rate is 4.6 percent of people tested. This is considerably lower than the national average of 8 percent.
A declining positive test rate shows that Oregonians’ efforts to use face coverings, physically distance and avoid gatherings is helping to slow the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 has claimed eight more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 494, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
Oregon Health Authority reported 125 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 28,471.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (2), Clackamas (7), Columbia (1), Curry (1), Deschutes (1), Jackson (7), Jefferson (1), Josephine (3), Klamath (1), Lane (11), Linn (11), Malheur (11), Marion (23), Morrow (2), Multnomah (22), Polk (2), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (5), Union (1), Washington (10) and Yamhill (1).
Oregon’s 487th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old woman in Deschutes County who tested positive on July 14 and died on Aug. 10 in her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 488th COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on August 25 and died on Sept. 3 at Kaiser Westside Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 489th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 3 and died on Sept. 5 in her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 490th COVID-19 death is a 49-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on July 17 and died on Sept. 4 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 491st COVID-19 death is a 64-year-old man in Malheur County who tested positive on Aug. 24 and died on Sept. 6 at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 492nd COVID-19 death is a 97-year-old woman in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 16 and died on Sept. 8 in her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 493rd COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Morrow County who tested positive on Aug. 7 and died on Sept. 4 at Good Shepherd Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 494th COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Aug. 23 and died on Aug. 30 in his residence. He had underlying conditions.
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