May 6th COVID-19 Update

Michael Dembrow

May 6, 2021

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

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

The overall COVID picture in Oregon is continuing to improve a bit.  COVID cases declined slightly again today, as did hospitalizations.  The number of reported deaths is up a little, though the overall trend remains downwards.  You’ll see that those fatalities are nearly all people in their fifties and sixties.  Although hospitalizations are going down, those needing intensive care are continuing to increase in number.

OHA is now reporting on “breakthrough cases” on a monthly basis, and this month’s report was just released.  You can read about it further down in the newsletter.

Several pieces of good news:

We learned today that Canada’s version of our FDA has cleared the Pfizer vaccine for administration to children ages 12 to 16.  We’re expecting a similar decision from the FDA any day now.  (On a personal note, I’m looking forward to my own grandchildren, who fall into that age range, getting their vaccines soon, maybe next week?)

We also learned today that the large Convention Center site will be opening its doors to walk-ins starting tomorrow.  More info on that below.

Also coming tomorrow: a return to less-restrictive status, including some indoor dining, for many Oregonians.

Please stay safe, and let me know if you have any questions about information in today’s newsletter.

 

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TODAY’S CORONAVIRUS AND CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE UPDATE

  • New COVID Cases: OHA reports 763 new COVID cases today.  The cumulative number of cases in Oregon since the beginning of the pandemic is 189,162.
  • Variant COVID Cases: The reported variant case numbers have just been updated and they show further increases: 311 (up from 168) cases of the B.1.1.7 (UK) variant, 18 cases (up from 13) of the P.1 (Brazilian) variant, and 28 (up from 18) cases of the B.1.351 (South African) variant.  In addition, we are now seeing 159 (up from 177) cases of the B.1.427 variant, and 566 (up from 519) of the B.1.429 variant.  OHA is now producing a Variant Tableau dashboard providing current variant case numbers for the state as a whole and for various parts of the state.
  • Positive Test Results: OHA reported 935 positive tests today. The cumulative total of positive test results since the beginning of the pandemic is now 272,244.
  • Total Tests: OHA reported an additional 157,021 tests today. Our cumulative total of reported tests is now 4,776,122.
  • Positivity Rate: The test positivity ratio for Oregon today is 6.0%.
  • Hospitalization Information:
    • Patients Currently with Confirmed COVID-19: 328 (17 fewer than yesterday)
    • ICU Patients Confirmed w COVID-19: 90 (7 more than yesterday).
    • Available ICU Beds: 134 (4 fewer than yesterday)
    • Other Available Beds: 490 (3 more than yesterday).
    • Confirmed COVID-19 Patients Currently on Ventilators: 40 (same as yesterday).
    • Available Ventilators: 791 (1 more than yesterday).
  • Deaths: I’m sorry to report 5 additional COVID deaths today.  The total number of COVID deaths in Oregon is now 2,509.
  • Vaccinations:
    • As of the end of yesterday, here are the latest numbers:
      • New Immunizations Reported Today: 36,259
        • 23,539 were conducted yesterday
        • 12,720 were conducted earlier, but the reports were received yesterday (there can potentially be a three-day window for reporting)
        • The 7-day running average is now 30,909 doses per day.
      • Total First and Second Doses Administered So Far: 3,159,283
        • 1,706,864 Pfizer doses
        • 1,349,095 Moderna doses
        • 101,922 Johnson & Johnson doses
      • Total Oregonians vaccinated so far: 1,902,244
        • 1,353,250 now fully vaccinated with two doses
      • To date, 3,984,825 3,997,645 doses of vaccine have been delivered to sites across Oregon. (That’s 12,820 more than yesterday, for a total of 253,159 so far this week.)

 

Update on Breakthrough Cases in Oregon

“Breakthrough cases” are those in which an individual has tested positive for COVID after they have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks.  In other words, the virus has managed to “break through” the antibody defenses that the body has created thanks to the vaccine.  Their numbers are extremely small relative to all the people who are being vaccinated, but they do exist.

OHA is now providing updates on breakthrough cases the first Thursday of each month. The current report for May 2021 can be found here.

As you’ll see, they have identified 611 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases through May 3, including eight deaths. The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small when compared to the more than 1.3 million people who have completed their vaccine series against COVID-19.

Of the 611 reported vaccine breakthrough cases, 14% (n=89) were observed in individuals who reside in long term care facilities or other congregate care settings.  The eight individuals who died were all over the age of 70.

 

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 reported is 763. Two-thirds of today’s new cases are from outside the Portland Tri-County area, the first time that’s been true in a while.  Here is today’s breakdown by county:

Baker (12)

Benton (14)

Clackamas (38)

Clatsop (3)

Columbia (9)

Coos (3)

Crook (14)

Curry (4)

Deschutes (95)

Douglas (13)

Grant (3)

Harney (1)

Hood River (2)

Jackson (38)

Jefferson (4)

Josephine (9)

Klamath (31)

Lake (1)

Lane (70)

Lincoln (2)

Linn (42)

Malheur (5)

Marion (72)

Morrow (1)

Multnomah (115)

Polk (20)

Tillamook (1)

Umatilla (9)

Union (1)

Wallowa (2)

Wasco (2)

Washington (107)

Yamhill (20)

 

And the Deaths:

Oregon’s 2,510th death is a 69-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on April 4 and died on April 30 at her residence.

Oregon’s 2,511th death is a 91-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive on April 28 and died on May 4 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Oregon’s 2,512th death is a 50-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive on April 20 and died on May 4 at Sky Lakes Medical Center.

Oregon’s 2,513rd death is a 63-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive on April 15 and died on May 3 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 2,514th death is a 68-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive on April 20 and died on May 4 at Salem Hospital.

 

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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.

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: 503-281-0608
mail: 900 Court St NE, S-407, Salem, OR, 97301