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August 5, 2020
I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well, staying healthy, and looking out for your neighbors and friends.
The number of test reports picked up dramatically today, which is great news. If you put yesterday and today’s numbers together, the 2-day average is still below where it has been, but it’s much better than yesterday. Let’s hope that continues.
As a result (in combination with case numbers similar to those we’ve been seeing lately), our positivity rate is a very encouraging 4.1%. That will likely go back up, but this low number is a relief after yesterday’s jump. Unfortunately, we also learned of five more deaths and a high number of new hospitalizations today.
These ups and downs remind us of the importance of focusing on trends and numbers on a weekly or biweekly basis. To that end, you’ll find information below on this week’s newly-released COVID Weekly Data Report.
In this newsletter you’ll also see an update on the Legislative Committee on Policing Reform, which will be meeting again tomorrow. Also, for those of you who are able to attend tomorrow evening’s Pre-Session Town Hall, you’ll find registration info below.
They say it’s going to rain here tomorrow. It will be strange, wondrous, and welcome.
TODAY’S CORONAVIRUS AND CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE UPDATE
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Positive Cases: OHA reports that 282 additional Oregonians have tested positive for COVID. The cumulative total for those testing positive and presumed positive is 18,936.
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Total Tests: I’m pleased to report that the number of tests has increased by 6,890. The cumulative total number of tests is now 425,759.
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Ratio: The percentage of positive tests today is 4.1% of total results. The national percentage today is 7.8%.
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Deaths: I’m sorry to report 5 additional deaths due to the coronavirus today. You can read more about those we lost further down in the newsletter. The total number of deaths in Oregon is now 338.
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Hospitalized: OHA reports that an additional 38 Oregonians have been hospitalized due to COVID. The cumulative number of those who have been hospitalized with COVID is now 1,726.
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Presumptive Cases: OHA is including “presumptive COVID-19 cases” in its daily reports, consistent with recently amended guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A presumptive case is someone who does not yet have a positive PCR test result but is showing symptoms and has had close contact with a confirmed case. If they later test positive by PCR, those will be recategorized as confirmed cases. OHA reports 17 new presumed positives today. The total number of presumed positives is now 1,043.
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Other Hospital Information:
- Patients Currently w COVID-19 Symptoms (who may or may not have received a positive test result yet): 228 (9 more than yesterday). Of those, 163 have already received a positive test back.
- Available ICU Beds: 151 (2 more than yesterday).
- Other Available Beds: 619 (63 fewer than yesterday).
- ICU Patients w COVID-19 Symptoms: 60 (2 fewer than yesterday).
- COVID-19 Patients Currently on Ventilators: 25 (2 fewer than yesterday).
- Available Ventilators: 762 (6 more than yesterday).
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Dashboards
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Today’s National Numbers:
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PPE:
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Additional Brief Updates:
- Employment Director David Gerstenfeld reported today that they have been able to meet their goal of processing and entering the more than 96,000 PUA claims out there into their system. They’ve already been able to start paying out benefits to more than 36,000 self-employed, independent contractors, Gig workers, and others who aren’t otherwise eligible for regular unemployment. For more information, here's an email from the Director to legislators that we just received.
- The hotter weather that we’ve been experiencing over the last week has had an impact on fire and smoke conditions around the state. Fortunately, a bit of cooler weather should be coming, which will help. For the latest update on this year’s fire season, here's the latest report from the state's firefighting unit, with links to a variety of resources.
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Today the Willamette Week released an analysis of COVID infection rates in Multnomah County. It reveals, not surprisingly, that rates are much higher east of 82nd Avenue, where people live in more crowded multi-family residences, and where a greater proportion of people of color live.
Coming Up on Tomorrow: Pre-Session Town Hall
Reps Barbara Smith Warner, Alissa Keny-Guyer, and I will be holding a pre-Special Session Zoom Town Hall tomorrow (Thursday 8/6) from 5:30- 7:00pm. You must pre-register to participate, which you can do here. Hope you can make it.
Latest OHA Weekly COVID Report Released
OHA released its weekly COVID report today. It is again a very comprehensive snapshot of different aspects of transmission of the disease in Oregon. It confirms what we’ve been seeing in our daily reports: increasing cases, rising positivity, and declining testing. It also shows ongoing disproportionality among racial and ethnic groups.
Here are some of OHA’s broad observations of where we are now, based on data from July 26 to August 1:
- We are continuing to see an increase in the number of new cases.
- The statewide infection rate is now 45 cases per 10,000 Oregonians (up from 40 the previous week, and 35 cases the week before that).
- The percentage of positive test results has gone back up, from 5.1% to 6.4% of all tests.
- 39 Oregonians were reported to have died last week, up from 27 the previous week. The cumulative death rate since the beginning of the pandemic is 8 deaths per 10,000 Oregonians.
- We see a significant drop in the number of tests over the last week: 33,918, vs. the previous week’s 42,452.
- Hospitalizations are rising again. 141 were reported during July 27–August 1, up from the previous week’s 127.
- We’re still seeing large outbreaks at workplaces and long-term care facilities but they are a smaller proportion of the overall new cases.
- We continue to see an increase in what OHA calls “sporadic cases,” which suggests that the disease is spreading more broadly into the community.
The report again provides information about signs, symptoms, and risk factors; racial/ethnic/age/gender demographics; recovery; outbreaks in long-term care; workplace outbreaks; hospital rates; and the breakdown of cases by zip code.
Racial/Ethnic
The report again demonstrates significant disparities among racial groups. You can see this in the charts below, with data that I’ve taken from the July 22 report, the July 29 report, and from this report. It allows you to see at a glance the proportion of case counts within different racial groups and ethnic groups (technically, “Hispanic” is not a race and is counted as an ethnic group, with numbers from a separate chart).
You’ll see again how much higher the rates per 10,000 are for most racial/ethnic groups compared to White Oregonians. Black Oregonians are a little over four times more likely to contract the disease than are White Oregonians, Native Americans just under four times more likely, Latinx Oregonians are a little more than six times more likely, and Pacific Islanders an incredible 13 times more likely. You’ll also again see that the percentages of those hospitalized or dying from the disease are lower for non-Whites than for the population of White Oregonians (the exceptions are the hospitalization rates for Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, which are slightly higher).
 
Long-Term Care Facilities
This week’s report lists outbreaks in 49 (up from 35) long-term care facilities that are still considered active. They are responsible for 599 cases (up from 416) and 48 deaths (up from 46). In addition, there are 54 outbreaks considered resolved (up from 49). They are responsible for 922 cases (down from 809) and 134 deaths (up from 120).
The total for active and resolved facilities is thus 1,521 cases (up by 167 from last week) and 166 182 deaths (up by 16 from last week). Deaths of residents in long-term care constitute a little more than half of all COVID deaths in Oregon.
The listed facilities include all where there was at least one death and at least three cases, so the above total should include all of the deaths in Oregon, but there may be additional cases out there that are not included.
Workplace Outbreaks
Similarly, there are separate listings for workplace outbreaks that are “active” and “resolved,” but without deaths identified by workplace. So far, eight deaths have been the result of workplace outbreaks, a figure fortunately unchanged for at least two months.
You’ll find 70 workplaces listed as “Active” this week, totaling 1,637 cases. Sixty-four are listed as “Resolved,” totaling 1,046 cases. The total for both is 2,683, up by 258 from last week.
Those listed include workplaces with at least 5 cases identified among workers or family members. They are listed in descending order of number of cases.
OHA points out that the higher number of COVID cases among people of color can in part be tied to their being overrepresented in agricultural and correctional settings, where it’s difficult to contain the spread of the virus.
Childcare Outbreaks
The Weekly Report again includes names and case counts for childcare facilities that enroll 30 or more children and have five or more cases. The same four are listed, in descending order of number of cases: Lake Grove KinderCare in Lake Oswego, Trout Creek Bible Camp in Corbett (now up to 29 cases), Oregon Child Development in Nyssa in Malheur County, and Hall Boulevard KinderCare in Tigard.
The Weekly Report also includes the total number of facilities statewide—no matter how many children they enroll—that have five or more cases. An additional facility reached that level last week, bringing the total to three.
Infections by Zip Code
You’ll see that the zip code list again reveals the various hot spots around the state, presented in terms of cases per 10K residents. The top five should come as no surprise, as they’re the same as last week’s, though the first and the third reversed order:
- 97838 (Hermiston in Umatilla and Morrow Counties)
- 97818 (Boardman in Morrow County)
- 97761 (Warm Springs in Jefferson County)
- 97882 (Umatilla in Umatilla County)
- 97875 (Stanfield in Umatilla County)
Four out of the top five zip codes are again in the Morrow/Umatilla area. Newport in Lincoln County remains on deck at #6.
Here is a zip code locator for you to use as you look at the zip code numbers.
Another Week of Legislative Work On Police Reform
During the first special session, the Legislature created a new House/Senate Joint Committee on Transparency in Policing and Use of Force Reform in order to keep working on policing reform. They’ve been meeting on a regular basis in public session, hearing from experts and taking public testimony on the problems they’re trying to address.
The committee met again this morning and will be meeting again on Thursday. This morning’s hearing was to go over and hear public testimony on a number of bill concepts. Many of them are still very much in process, with new versions having been posted last night or even this morning.
Tomorrow’s hearing is technically an informational hearing on use of non-policing methods for interacting with those with mental illness. However, since there are late changes to the bills, they were all carried over till tomorrow to give members of the public an additional opportunity to provide oral or written testimony. If you want to register to provide oral testimony, you need to do so by 8 a.m. on the morning of the hearing. You have until 5 pm the following day to submit written testimony.
If you go to Thursday’s agenda page linked below and then scroll down, you’ll find information on how to sign up to speak remotely or to submit written comment.
You’ll also find links under MEETING MATERIALS to the drafts and the latest redrafts of the legislative concepts on the agenda as they come in, as well as testimony that has already come in. I’ve linked to the most recent versions of each of the concepts below.
Thursday, August 6
- Informational meeting on alternatives to police response for those in mental health crisis.
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LC 742 Regulates use of chemical incapacitants, including tear gas, pepper spray, kinetic impact projectiles, and sound devices by law enforcement agencies.
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LC 743 A more focused version of this LC. Establishes requirements for displaying identifying information on peace officer uniforms and for disclosing identifying information to public upon request. Here's an explanation of the changes from the previous version of the proposed bill.
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LC 745 Provides that peace officer or corrections officer may not use force that impedes normal breathing or circulation of blood of another person by applying pressure on throat or neck under any circumstances.
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LC 751 (creates the Task Force on Uniform Statewide Law Enforcement Disciplinary Standards) This is a proposal from Senator Dallas Heard (Roseburg) to flesh out the disciplinary standards that arbitrators will be bound to follow in making decisions regarding officer misconduct. And a staff explanation.
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LC 761 Modifies justification defenses available to peace officer who uses physical force or deadly physical force upon another person. Requires peace officer to give verbal warning, and reasonable opportunity to comply, before using physical force or deadly physical force if reasonable opportunity to do so exists. Requires peace officer to consider alternatives to deadly physical force if reasonable opportunity to do so exists. And a staff explanation.
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LC 762 (this is still rough) Directs Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to establish publicly available database of certain information about misconduct and discipline of public safety employees established by Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. Requires reporting of complaints, allegations, charges, disciplinary proceedings, certain judicial findings and prosecutorial determinations of unreliability, suspensions and revocations of certification and certain resignations of public safety employees to department for inclusion in database.
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LC 763 Directs Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to establish statewide database of reports of use of physical force by peace officers and corrections officers. Requires commission to report annually to appropriate committee or interim committee of Legislative Assembly on reports. Requires law enforcement units to report on use or threat of physical force, and deaths of persons in custody, to commission. And a staff explanation.
Where Are Today’s New Cases?
If we put together the positive test results and new “presumptive” cases reported today, the overall number of new cases is 299. Most of the state’s new cases today again come from outside the Portland Tri-County region, but today at least we’re seeing fewer cases coming out of Umatilla and Malheur Counties. Here is the breakdown by county for today:
Baker (1)
Benton (2)
Clackamas (20)
Clatsop (1)
Columbia (2)
Coos (1)
Deschutes (8)
Douglas (1)
Hood River (4)
Jackson (12)
Jefferson (9)
Josephine (1)
Klamath (2)
Lane (5)
Lincoln (19)
Linn (8)
Malheur (7)
Marion (42)
Morrow (10)
Multnomah (59)
Polk (2)
Tillamook (2)
Umatilla (26)
Union (4)
Wasco (1)
Washington (48)
Yamhill (6)
And the Deaths
Oregon's 334th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 8 and died in her residence.
Oregon's 335th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 17 and died on July 28 at Trios Health Southridge Hospital in Kennewick, Wash.
Oregon's 336th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on July 12 and died on August 1 at Saint Anthony Hospital.
Oregon's 337th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on July 20 and died on August 3 at Kaiser Westside Medical Center.
Oregon's 338th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Josephine County who tested positive on July 19 and died on August 3 in his residence.
Note from OHA: More information is available about Oregon's 233rd COVID-19 death, reported yesterday. Oregon's 233rd COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old woman who tested positive June 29 and died on July 9 at St. Luke's Medical Center in Boise.
Additional Graphs:
Want to See Past Newsletters?
If there was COVID-related information in a past newsletter that you want to go back to, but find you’ve deleted it, you can always go to my legislative website (www.senatordembrow.com), click on “News and Information,” and you’ll find them all there. Also, if someone forwarded you this newsletter and you’d like to get it directly, you can sign up for it there.
AND FINALLY,
Here again are some resources that you will find useful:
If the above links are not providing you with answers to your questions or directing you to the help that you need, please consider me and my office to be a resource. We’ll do our best to assist you or steer you in the right direction.
Best,
 Senator Michael Dembrow
District 23
email: Sen.MichaelDembrow@oregonlegislature.gov
web: www.senatordembrow.com
phone: 503-986-1723
mail: 900 Court St NE, S-407, Salem, OR, 97301
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