September 14th COVID-19 and Wildfire Update

Oregon State Legislature sent this bulletin at 09/14/2020 08:51 PM PDT
Michael Dembrow

September 14, 2020

I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well, staying healthy, and looking out for your neighbors and friends in these incredibly difficult times.

Today’s newsletter is again a mixture of information about COVID and the wildfires.  Obviously, the two are related in many ways, creating enormous stress on us as a state and requiring enormous patience and compassion of us all.

You’ll see once again that our COVID numbers are relatively low today, which is great news, except that it may be due to very low testing numbers, a trend that we’ve seen over the last few days.  Hence, the following warning that we received from OHA today:

TESTING NOTE: Wildfires and hazardous air conditions have affected COVID-19 testing in Oregon. Over the past several days statewide testing numbers appear to have dipped. This is a lagging data point as tests are often reported several days after specimen collection. However, due to widespread hazardous conditions, people seeking testing may have declined. OHA will continue to monitor the situation.

The Oregon State Public Health Laboratory (OSPHL) is closed today Monday, Sept. 14, due to indoor air quality which is too hazardous to safely use appropriate air safety equipment including hoods. No specimens will be accepted or tested. Specimens already received at OSPHL are being held at appropriate temperatures pending testing. OSPHL will reopen as soon as air safety standards can be met.

Let’s hope this problem passes soon, and we can get a better handle on COVID in our state.  The low testing rate has again driven up our positivity rate.  Hopefully, that will come down again once we are doing more testing. 

Again, please let me know if you have any questions about any of the information in this newsletter.

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TODAY’S CORONAVIRUS AND CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE UPDATE

  • Positive Cases: OHA reports that 591 additional Oregonians have tested positive since Friday, an average of 197 a day. The cumulative total for those testing positive is 28,051.
  • Total Tests: The number of reported tests has increased by 9,036 since Friday, an average of 3,012 tests per day. The cumulative total is now 613,371.
  • Ratio: The percentage of positive test results in Oregon is 6.5%.  The national ratio today is 4.1%.
  • Deaths: I’m sorry to report 2 additional deaths due to the coronavirus today. You can read more about the Oregonians we lost further down in the newsletter.  The total number of COVID deaths in Oregon is now at 511.
  • Hospitalized: OHA reports an additional 44 COVID hospitalizations since Friday, an average of 15 per day. The total of COVID hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic is.2,279.
  • 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 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. The total number of presumed positives is currently 1,433.
  • Other Hospital Information:
    • Patients Currently w COVID-19 Symptoms (who may or may not have received a positive test result yet): 135 (26 fewer than Friday). Of those, 91 have already received a positive test back.
    • Available ICU Beds: 161 (33 more than Friday)
    • Other Available Beds: 732 (119 more than Friday).
    • ICU Patients w COVID-19 Symptoms: 32 (11 fewer than Friday).
    • COVID-19 Patients Currently on Ventilators: 13 (6 fewer than Friday).
    • Available Ventilators: 790 (12 more than Friday).
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  • Today’s National Numbers:

 Total Tests: 87,560,761 (742,504 up from yesterday).

  • Additional Brief Updates:
    • I’ve heard concern from a number of people about how people displaced by the fires will be able to vote in the coming election, given our universal vote-by-mail system. The Oregonian has an article today on this potential problem: “In Oregon, You Can Vote a Ballot for Your Home Address, Even If Your Home Burned and You’re Staying Elsewhere.”  As you’ll see, county elections offices will be doing outreach to those in their county affected by the fires and providing them with alternatives.
    • Tri-Met will be holding two listening sessions next week to get people’s ideas for reimagining public safety on transit. The first will be in English on Monday, September 21, and the second in Spanish on Tuesday, September 22.  They also have an online survey as a way to receive additional input.  Find out more here.
    • “Legislative Days” begin a week from today on September 21. Most committees will be holding hearings that week. As you can imagine, there will be lots of discussion of COVID response and wildfire response coming from a number of different issue angles.  Here’s the schedule for the week.  You can find the agendas for those hearings on the various committee webpages.

Monday Wildfire Update:  Fire Conditions Largely Improving, Air Quality Not

The Governor and key wildfire response leaders were featured at a press conference this afternoon to provide updates on the fires and the response to them.  A briefing with elected leaders at the end of the day mainly confirmed what we heard earlier.

According to Fire Chief Doug Grafe, firefighters have made tremendous progress on nearly all the big fires.  Weather conditions definitely helped, thanks to relatively calm and moist winds coming from the west.  Fire containment lines have been created on all of the fires; while the fires continue to spread, they are doing so slowly and predictably, a far cry from the explosive growth we saw several days ago.  Most of them are far from being truly contained, but all in all this is great news.

The bad news about the gentle winds, though, is that much of the state remains stuck in terribly smoky conditions, and the smoke is not going away quickly. The DEQ has extended the statewide air quality emergency to Thursday.  Rains that we had hoped would come this evening now are not expected until Wednesday or Thursday (and they may be accompanied by lightning, which could create another set of problems). 

Smoky conditions also make it impossible to attack the fires by air.  Our Air National Guard are ready and willing to do their part, but they are not finding many opportunities to get into the air to drop water and retardants.

When they do, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT PEOPLE DO NOT SEND PRIVATE DRONES INTO FIRE ZONES.  Yes, some people are doing just that, hoping to get a close-up view of the devastation, and it’s creating enormous risk for those doing this important work.  We were asked to pass this message on loud and clear.  Please, do not do this!

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While the relatively gentle winds are helping us with the ground efforts on the west side of the mountains, conditions are different at the crest of the Cascades and on the east side.  There, high winds are creating real problems in several areas, whipping up the fires and creating some setbacks.  There are also potential wind events in the South Obenchain fire to the east of Medford that could cause problems there.

For those of us in the northern Willamette Valley, the good news is that the big Riverside and Beachie Creek/Lionshead fires have not combined.  There is a finger of around 30,000 acres of timber separating them in the vicinity of Colton, Molalla, and Scotts Mills, and firefighters have fought hard to protect that area in order to keep them apart.  So far they’ve been successful as a result of truly heroic efforts.

Doug and the others briefing us made a point of calling out those private volunteers who have stepped up with their dozers, excavators, and other equipment to help build fire lines there and in other parts of the state. We owe them a lot.

There are currently 5,600 professionals fighting the fire, up from 3,000 just a few days ago.  The target is to get to 6,000.  Firefighters are coming in from all over the country, most recently National Guard firefighters from Idaho, Montana, and Florida.

Oregon Guard General Stencil made a point of extending his deepest appreciation to the soldiers’ families and employers, who are supporting the men and women from this state and elsewhere, who are leaving their “normal” lives to do this vital work for us all.

As I mentioned yesterday, National Guard are also helping out with search-and-rescue and mortuary forensics.  We currently have 10 confirmed dead in Oregon, but not all have yet been identified.  We also have 22 confirmed missing and at least 50 still reported missing.

We also heard from Gabriela Goldfarb of the Oregon Health Authority, who spoke about the smoke emergency.  We are definitely seeing the effects of poor air quality around the state: 10% of all emergency department visits are currently for asthma-like symptoms, and that will likely grow.   She cautioned us that for some individuals the impacts of the smoke on sensitive lungs and hearts will linger, continuing for up to a week or two after the advisories have been lifted.  People in vulnerable categories should be careful about strenuous activity for some days to come.

Obviously, a further complication is the relationship between poor air quality and COVID-19. Gabriela pointed out that some of the symptoms of both are similar—coughing, difficulty breathing, and headache.  But there are differences.  Fever, chills, and diarrhea are typical for COVID, not for poor air quality. If you have those symptoms, you should consider contacting your medical provider.

We also learned later in the day that AICs from the Oregon State Correctional Institution (OSCI), who’ve been temporarily housed at the Oregon State Prison, began moving back to OSCI today.  The danger of the Beachie Creek emerging from the Santiam Canyon and hitting the facility has passed.

Finally, looking forward, the Governor announced that she has made a series of additional requests for federal FEMA support.  She also announced the creation of a new  philanthropic “2020 Community Rebuilding Fund” to plan and support medium- and long-term recovery.  It will be coordinated by the Ford Family Foundation, the Meyer Memorial Trust, and the Oregon Community Foundation.

For an up-to-the-minute look at what’s going on in each of these fires, including acres burned, percentage contained, known loss of life, and other data, I’d suggest that you go to OEM’s State of Oregon Fires and Hotspots Dashboard.

Here again are some other resources that I would recommend:

More News Items for You

DCBS Has Insurance Advice for Those Affected by Wildfire

Just received these five insurance tips from our Department of Consumer and Business Services.  Here they are:

Salem – The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation has five tips for homeowners and renters who have evacuated or been affected by fire, smoke, and ash damage.

  • Call your insurance company to check your policy. Let your company know if you have evacuated. Coverage is typically available for fire, smoke, and ash damage to your home and personal property.
  • Ask about your auto coverage, too. You need comprehensive coverage on your auto policy to cover fire, smoke, and ash damage, no matter where your vehicle is located at time of the loss.
  • If you had to evacuate, save your receipts and, when it is safe, let your insurance company know you evacuated. Your homeowners policy may pay for expenses such as lodging, food, and even pet boarding due to a mandatory evacuation. Be sure to check with your insurance company to confirm your specific coverage.
  • If you have not evacuated and it is safe to do so, make a quick home inventory by taking photos or video of each room in your home. Pay close attention to what is on the walls and in drawers and closets. Don’t forget storage areas such as the attic and garage. Check your insurance company’s website for an app or checklist that will help. Or use the Insure U Home Inventory Checklist.
  • If your personal belongings are damaged, the insurance company will request a list of items that are damaged or destroyed. Take some time to work on your home inventory list now. Look through your photos and videos to help recall personal items. Be sure to look for smaller items, such as jewelry. To the best of your ability, write down the age, original cost, and replacement cost of each item.

Following these tips will help save you money, time, and stress during a wildfire. For more information on preparing for a wildfire, visit the division’s wildfire page.

Oregonians that have been forced to evacuate their homes because of area wildfires should contact their insurance companies as soon as possible to let them know they have evacuated and discuss next steps. If you still have questions or concerns, the division’s Advocacy Team is here to help. Call the team at 888-877-4894 (toll-free) or visit dfr.oregon.gov.

And here’s further info from DCBS.

COVID-19 Mortgage Relief Program Temporarily Restored

Legislators learned today that a federal program to help families that are having problems paying their mortgages as a result of COVID has temporarily come back to life, thanks to efforts by Oregon Housing and Community Services. The federal program (known as the COVID-19 Mortgage Relief Program) expired in the spring, but Oregon and other states have been pushing to allow an extension.  It has now been granted, and $20 million in additional relief has been allocated as the result of legislative action.

Here is more information about the COVID-19 Mortgage Relief Program. The eligibility requirements are available here.  With about $20 million in funding remaining, OHCS anticipates that these resources will be quickly claimed.

If you have questions about the program, you can email homeowner.help@oregon.gov or call OHSI at (503) 986-2025. Warning: their call lines are likely to be very busy this week, but staff are making efforts to return emails within 24 hours.

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 151.  Here is the breakdown by county for today:

Clackamas (18)

Columbia (1)

Coos (1)

Deschutes (3)

Douglas (3)

Jackson (4)

Jefferson (1)

Klamath (1)

Lane (19)

Malheur (13)

Marion (11)

Morrow (2)

Multnomah (27)

Polk (1)

Umatilla (23)

Union (1)

Wasco (1)

Washington (18)

Yamhill (3)

And the Deaths

Oregon’s 510th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 1 and died on Sept. 13, in his residence.

Oregon’s 511th COVID-19 death is a 92-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 20. More details about her death are pending.

Additional Graphs:

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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 (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.

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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,

dembrow signature

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