February 24th COVID-19 Update

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February 24, 2022

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 during this past week.

It appears—fingers crossed—that we can see light at the end of the COVID tunnel. As you’ll see in tonight’s newsletter, nearly all the COVID metrics are on a steep decline, with hospitalizations dropping even faster than had been anticipated.  Just as fast as Omicron ballooned in January, its progress is deflating in February.  Cases and hospitalizations are still high, but we’re quickly approaching the place where we were in early December (post-Delta and pre-Omicron).  And at this point (again, fingers crossed), another variant does not seem to be in the wings.

This has led the Governor today to announce that she willlift the COVID state of emergency on April 1. And the projected end date for required indoor masking will be moved from from March 31 to March 19. This will be true both for schools as well as all other indoor locations.

At the current rate of declining hospitalizations, we may actually hit the target of 400 COVID hospitalizations (where it was prior to Omicron) well before March 19, but she wanted to provide a date certain for schools and local jurisdictions to plan for the change.  (I do predict, though, that if we hit the 400-bed target much before March 19, she’ll be under a lot of pressure to move the date up again.)

Meanwhile, today on the Senate floor, we found ourselves caught up in the masking controversy.  Senator Dallas Heard (R-Roseburg) came to the Capitol for only the second time this session (presumably because there was a Timber Unity-style anti-masking rally at the Capitol today) and again refused to wear a mask.  There were a number of speeches over the question of whether or not he should be removed from the building and why or why not. (Yes, even I could not refrain from getting into the debate.) The Senate did vote along party lines to remove him.  Though all the Republicans voted against the motion, none of them ultimately joined him in removing their masks or leaving.

 Here's reporting from OPB.

The legislative session has shifted gears this week, with a number of important policy bills making their weigh through the Ways and Means process and on their way to the floors.  I’m happy to say that this is the case for a number of my highest priority bills, including the long-overdue action on the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub (SB 1567).  Today saw the passage out of committee of the highly contentious Farmworker Overtime bill along party lines.  We’re also seeing big investment packages taking shape in Housing and Homelessness, Early Childhood, Educator Workforce Shortages, Summer Learning, Climate Action, and Rural Revitalization. That work, along with all the big capital construction projects, will be finalized next week.

I’ll give you a more thorough, comprehensive update on all the legislative action this weekend. I’ll also tell you more about the inevitable heartbreaks around bills that are not going to make it this time and will have to return in 2023.

And finally, while we have many challenges and things to preoccupy us here in Oregon, nothing can compare to what the people of Ukraine are enduring as I write this.  Please join me in keeping them foremost in our thoughts and praying that their ordeal ends soon.

Until the next newsletter, please stay healthy and safe, and let me know if you have any questions about information in tonight’s newsletter or about what’s going on in the legislative session.

OREGON CORONAVIRUS AND CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE UPDATE

• New COVID Cases: OHA reports 856 new COVID cases today, vs. 1,844 last Thursday. That’s an average of 989 per day for the last week (vs. 1,641 per day the previous week). The cumulative number of cases in Oregon since the beginning of the pandemic is 691,337.
• Variant COVID Cases:
  • OHA is now showing us not only this week’s variant cases but the growth of the different variants in Oregon over time. You can see in the graph above that Omicron remains responsible for nearly all the cases in this state This graph is updated every Wednesday.
  • OHA’s Variant Dashboard provides current and new variant case numbers for the state as a whole but also for different parts of the state. It too is updated each Wednesday.
• Positive Test Results: OHA reported 1,170 positive test results today (vs. 1,942 last Thursday). That’s an average of 1,315 per day for the 7 days since the last newsletter (vs. 2,332 per day the previous week). The cumulative total of positive test results since the beginning of the pandemic is now 911,962.
• Total Tests: OHA reported an additional 18,288 tests today (vs. 21,109 last Thursday). That’s an average of 16,958 per day for the last week (vs. 20,394 for the previous week). Our cumulative total of reported tests is 10,391,721.
• Positivity Rate: The test positivity ratio for Oregon today was 6.4% (vs. last week’s 9.2%). That’s an average of 7.7% per day for the last week (vs. 11.4% last week).
• Hospitalization Information:
  • Patients Currently with Confirmed COVID-19: 528 (260 fewer than last newsletter)
  • ICU Patients Confirmed w COVID-19: 105 (42 fewer than last newsletter.)
  • Confirmed COVID-19 Patients Currently on Ventilators: 53 (14 fewer than last newsletter)
  • Available Ventilators: 832 847 (15 more than last newsletter).
• Hospital Capacity:
  • Available Adult ICU Beds: 78 94 (14% availability) (16 more than last newsletter).
  • Other Available Adult Beds: 350 (8% availability) (48 more than last newsletter).
  • Available Pediatric ICU Beds: 7 (17% availability) (same as last Thursday).
  • Here’s a link to more OHA data on hospital capacity.
• Deaths: I’m sorry to report 59 additional COVID deaths today (vs. 28 last Thursday). We haven’t received details yet, but I suspect that many are from earlier days. In any case, that’s an average of 19 per day for the week since the last newsletter (vs. 14 the previous week). The total number of COVID deaths in Oregon is 6,578.
• Vaccinations:
  • Today, OHA reported that 5,482 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry Feb. 23. Of that total, 504 were initial doses, 586 were second doses and 1,496 were third doses and booster doses. The remaining 2,755 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry Feb. 23.
  • The seven-day running average is now 4,502 doses per day.
  • Total doses administered: 7,357,720
    • 4,136,268 Pfizer/Comimaty vaccines
    • 232,119 Pfizer Pediatric vaccines
    • 2,706,485 Moderna vaccines
    • 268,261 Johnson & Johnson vaccines
  • Total Oregonians vaccinated so far: 3,155,407 (up by 6,994 from last week)
    • 2,860,508 now fully vaccinated with two doses (up by 8,461 from the previous week)
  • So far, 76.9% of all Oregonians have received at least one dose
    • 81.2% of those 5 and older
    • 85.3% of those 12 and older
    • 86.7% of those 18 and older
    • 95% of those 65 and older
  • 686% of all Oregonians are now fully vaccinated
    • 72.5% of those 5 and older
    • 76.5% of those 12 and older
    • 77.8% of those 18 and older
    • 90% of those 65 and older
  • .51% of all Oregonians have received a booster shot
    • 52.8% of those 12 and older
    • 84.5% of those 18 and older
    • 74.3% of those 65 and older
  • All these percentages are from the CDC Data Tracker.They include vaccinations administered by the VA and Tribal Health Services.
  • For more details, including the demographics of those receiving the vaccine and the number of vaccinations by county, go to the OHA vaccinations dashboard.
  • Bloomberg Newsprovides a wealth of easy-to-read information on the trajectory of vaccinations—by state, nationally, and internationally.

Additional Brief Updates and Links

• Here’s coverage from the Oregonian about the announcement that Oregon's mask mandate will end early.
• And there’s word that the  CDC will be revising its masking recommendations tomorrow.
• Here’s the latest Checkup with Dr. Wen.
• The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has just published a statement on the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID patients: it exposes patients to serious harm.
• And here’s more bad news about Ivermectin.
• There is growing evidence that COVID can create ongoing cardiac problems.
• Here’s an interesting question: Why do some people accept highly toxic Chemo treatments but fear the COVID vaccines?  A physician tries to understand.
• New studies suggest that most of us won't need multiple boosters for a while.

Weekly County Report: Continuing Big Reductions Around the State

The latest OHA county report, showing increases/decreases in COVID spread for each county and for the state as a whole, was released on Monday. It shows case counts and rates for the last four weeks, including the week that ended Sunday, February 13.

The Omicron transmission numbers reported this week continue to be high, but they are going down for the state as a whole, and in every county, in some cases quite dramatically.

The statewide infection rate has gone from to 422.7 per 100K in the last report to 231.4 in this one; the test positivity rate has also gone down, from 13.7% last week to 9.5 this week.

As you’ll see in the report, the rates remain high everywhere, but they are definitely coming down. Once again Multnomah County (which saw the largest infection rate at the beginning of the Omicron surge) had the state’s lowest infection rate (172.1 per 100K) and test positivity rates (6.9%).

OHA Weekly Report: Drops in New Oregon Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths

OHA’s COVID-19 Weekly Data Report, released today, shows declines in weekly cases, COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

• OHA reported 9,332 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, Feb.14 through Sunday, Feb. 20 — a 45% decline from the previous week, and an 84% drop from the peak week of Jan. 17 through Jan. 23.
• There were 639 COVID-19-related hospitalizations, a 20% decrease over the previous week.
• COVID-19-related deaths declined from 129 to 111.
• Reported COVID-19 test results dropped 21%. There were 130,116 tests administered.
• Test positivity dropped to 9.6% from 13.7% the previous week.

Today’s COVID-19 Weekly Outbreak Report shows 314 total active outbreaks in care facilities, senior living communities and congregate living settings.

1/13/21         202 facilities

2/10/21         116 facilities

3/10/21            44 facilities

4/14/21            24 facilities

5/12/21            42 facilities

6/09/21            19 facilities

7/8/21              22 facilities

8/4/21              33 facilities

9/1/21            144 facilities

10/6/21         163 facilities

11/3/21           87 facilities

12/1/21            54 facilities

1/05/22            64 facilities

1/12/22           128 facilities

1/20/22           210 facilities

1/26/22           273 facilities

 2/2/22            310 facilities

2/10/22           341 facilities

2/16/22           339 facilities

2/24/22           314 facilities

Here are the numbers of deaths in our congregate care settings.  The numbers here will likely stay relatively high for a while, though overall their growth is abating.

8/4      1,374 (pandemic total)      

8/11    1,385 (pandemic total)       +11

9/1      1,441 (pandemic total)       +22

10/6    1,574 (pandemic total)       +27

11/03   1,701 (pandemic total)      +29

11/24  1,826 (pandemic total)       +36

12/1    1,847 (pandemic total)       +21

12/8    1,863 (pandemic total)       +16

12/15  1,890 (pandemic total)      +27

12/22  1,912 (pandemic total)       +22    

12/29   1,922 (pandemic total)      +10

01/05   1,923 (pandemic total)      + 1

01/12   1,946 (pandemic total)      +23

01/20   1,961 (pandemic total)      +15

01/26  1,971 (pandemic total)      +10

02/02  2,005 (pandemic total)      +34

02/10  2,031 (pandemic total)      +26

02/16  2,061 (pandemic total)      +30

02/24   2,090 (pandemic total)      +29

The Outbreak Report also includes the latest data on COVID in workplaces, childcare centers, and public and private K-12 schools. 

The Latest Breakthrough Report: Share of Breakthrough Cases Goes Down, While Severe Cases Continue to Be Among the UNvaccinated

OHA’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released today, reported 9,873 cases of COVID-19 during the week of Feb. 13 to Feb. 19.

Of those cases, 5,787, or 58.6%, were unvaccinated people and 4,078, or 41.3%, were vaccine breakthrough cases. Among the breakthrough cases, 1,772, or 42.2%, were fully vaccinated and boosted.

Fifty-two breakthrough cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings (down from 67 last week).

To date, there have been 187,020 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon out of a total of 691,337. Of those cases, 41,969, or 22.4%, were fully vaccinated.

The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people is two-and-a-half times the rate as in vaccinated people, and four times higher than in people who are fully vaccinated and boosted.

Where the vaccines continue to really make a difference is in preventing serious COVID cases.  Here, the gap between vaccinated and unvaccinated individual is increasing, not narrowing.  Nearly all breakthrough cases show no symptoms, or symptoms that are relatively mild. The percentage of breakthrough hospitalizations and deaths continues to go down.  To date, only 2.4% of the small percentage of vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized (down from 2.6% last week), and just 0.5% have died (same as last week). Nearly all the COVID patients in ICUs and on ventilators have been unvaccinated.

To date, nearly 3 million Oregonians are fully vaccinated.

New OHSU Forecast Continues to Show Faster-Than-Expected Declines

The current OHSU forecast report, published today, uses data provided by OHA and others that project how fast the virus may spread in the population and provides projections on possible outcomes, including infection rates and impacts on hospital capacity.  The lead author is Dr. Peter Graven, Director of OHSU’s Office of Advanced Analytics

This forecast shows that the steep declines are ongoing.  It continues to appear that we will reach the Governor’s goal of being able to lift mask mandates ahead of schedule—March 12^th, rather than March 31st.  The goal has been predicated on our getting back to the pre-surge level of fewer than 400 COVID patients in hospital, which in turn is predicated on our continuing to follow COVID protocols to a large extent.  

Here are key observations in this week’s report:

• As of Feb. 24, 528 patients were in Oregon hospitals, a drop of more than 260 from the week before.
• All Oregon regions are showing significant declines in hospitalizations.
• Case counts and positive tests are decreasing.
• The number of people in U.S. hospitals with the flu is much lower than in previous seasons.
• Oregon’s path compared to those of other states is lower and flatter, with a similar steep decline.
• Many factors contributed to Oregon having the fourth-lowest peak in hospitalizations per capita during the omicron surge.
• As of Feb. 22, 19% of occupied ICU beds had COVID patients in them statewide, a drop from 24% last week.
• Twenty-two children were in Oregon hospitals, a bump up from the week before but still much lower than the Feb. 3 peak of 43.
• Data through Feb. 12 indicates that deaths have peaked.
• Hospitalizations are rapidly declining. This pattern mirrors that of other states and may continue.
• The number of people in Oregon hospitals is expected to fall below 400 on March 12.  Here are the further projections for hospitalization targets:
• 300: 3/21/2022
• 200 4/2/2022
• 100 4/23/2022

And the Deaths:

Here is most of the information about the 134 additional deaths that have been reported since last Thursday’s newsletter, vs. 100 the week before.  The information about today’s 59 reported deaths has not yet been released, but I suspect it will show that many if not most of those reported deaths were from earlier months. I’ll include it in next week’s newsletter.

OHA does have a dashboard that shows week-over-week numbers of deaths by actual date of death, not when the deaths were reported (i.e., they go back and plug those late-reports into the weeks they actually occurred.  You can find that dashboard here. It’s updated once a week.

Thursday, February 17

Oregon’s 6,417th COVID-19-related death is a 69-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive Dec. 18, 2021, and died Jan. 7 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,418th COVID-19-related death is an 88-year-old woman from Clackamas County who tested positive Jan. 4 and died Jan. 7 at Providence Milwaukie Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,419th COVID-19-related death is a 74-year-old man from Josephine County who tested positive Dec. 27, 2021, and died Jan. 8 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,420th COVID-19-related death is a 97-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive Jan. 9 and died Jan. 16 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 6,421st COVID-19-related death is a 93-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive Dec. 26, 2021, and died Jan. 12 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,422nd COVID-19-related death is a 66-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive Dec. 24, 2021, and died Jan. 11 at Providence Portland Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,423rd COVID-19-related death is an 87-year-old woman from Yamhill County who tested positive Dec. 31, 2021, and died Jan. 12 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,424th COVID-19-related death is a 73-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive Jan. 3 and died Jan. 12 at Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,425th COVID-19-related death is a 70-year-old woman from Coos County who tested positive Nov. 30, 2021, and died Jan. 10 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.

Oregon’s 6,426th COVID-19-related death is a 69-year-old woman from Linn County who tested positive Jan. 7 and died Jan. 12 at Samaritan Albany General Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,427th COVID-19-related death is an 81-year-old man from Josephine County who tested positive Feb. 10 and died Feb. 15 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,428th COVID-19-related death is a 63-year-old man from Josephine County who tested positive Jan. 25 and died Feb. 14 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,429th COVID-19-related death is a 68-year-old man from Jackson County who died Jan. 26 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,430th COVID-19-related death is a 94-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive Feb. 4 and died Feb. 4 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,431st COVID-19-related death is a 75-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 24 and died Feb. 10 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,432nd COVID-19-related death is a 75-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 27 and died Feb. 15 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,433rd COVID-19-related death is 72-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive Feb. 15 and died Feb. 15 at Mercy Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,434th COVID-19-related death is an 86-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive Jan. 31 and died Feb. 2 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,435th COVID-19-related death is a 66-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive Oct. 26, 2021, and died at her residence. Date of death is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 6,436th COVID-19-related death is a 73-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive Feb. 14 and died Feb. 10 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,437th COVID-19-related death is a 64-year-old man from Clackamas County who died Jan. 2 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,438th COVID-19-related death is an 88-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive Jan. 26 and died on Feb. 14.

Oregon’s 6,439th COVID-19-related death is a 73-year-old woman from Benton County who tested positive Feb. 11 and died Feb. 15 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,440th COVID-19-related death is an 83-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Feb. 10 and died Feb. 15 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,441st COVID-19-related death is a 78-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive Jan. 28 and died Feb. 10 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,442nd COVID-19-related death is a 104-year-old woman from Klamath County who tested positive Feb. 2 and died Feb. 13 at Sky Lakes Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,443rd COVID-19-related death is 85-year-old man from Klamath County who tested positive Feb. 1 and died Feb. 14 at Sky Lakes Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,444th COVID-19-related death is 75-year-old woman from Klamath County who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Feb. 13 at Sky Lakes Medical Center.

Friday, February 18

Oregon’s 6,445th COVID-19-related death is a 95-year-old man from Union County who tested positive Feb. 5 and died Feb. 16 at Grande Ronde Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,446th COVID-19-related death is an 88-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive Feb. 13 and died Feb. 13 at Adventist Health Portland.

Oregon’s 6,447th COVID-19-related death is an 82-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Feb. 12 and died Feb. 16 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,448th COVID-19-related death is a 50-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive Feb. 11 and died Feb. 15 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,449th COVID-19-related death is an 88-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive Dec. 31, 2021, and died Jan. 13 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,450th COVID-19-related death is a 69-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 20 and died Feb. 16 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,451st COVID-19-related death is a 92-year-old man from Crook County who tested positive Jan. 25 and died Feb. 3 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,452nd COVID-19-related death is an 84-year-old man from Baker County who tested positive Feb. 1 and died Feb. 17 at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center Baker City.

Oregon’s 6,453rd COVID-19-related death is an 87-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive Jan. 24 and died Feb. 11 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,454th  COVID-19-related death is a 69-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive Jan. 24 and died Jan. 24 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,455th  COVID-19-related death is a 97-year-old woman from Yamhill County who tested positive Jan. 19 and died Feb. 13 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,456th COVID-19-related death is an 86-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive Jan. 3 and died Feb. 10 at her residence.

Saturday, February 19 to Tuesday, February 22

Oregon’s 6,457th COVID-19-related death is 67-year-old woman from Clackamas County who tested positive Jan. 4 and died Jan. 12 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,458th COVID-19-related death is 89-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive Jan. 7 and died Jan. 12 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,459th COVID-19-related death is 85-year-old woman from Deschutes County who died Jan. 16 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,460th COVID-19-related death is 67-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 12 and died Jan. 15 at Oregon Health and Science University Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,461st COVID-19-related death is 83-year-old woman from Lincoln County who tested positive Jan. 12 and died Jan. 15 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,462nd COVID-19-related death is 68-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive Nov. 27, 2021 and died Jan. 10 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,463rd COVID-19-related death is 78-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive Jan. 10 and died Jan. 13 at Providence Portland Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,464th COVID-19-related death is 83-year-old man from Linn County who tested positive Jan. 11 and died Jan. 14 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,465th COVID-19-related death is 58-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive Jan. 4 and died Jan. 10 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,466th COVID-19-related death is 82-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive July 12, 2021 and died Jan. 19 at his residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death.

Oregon’s 6,467th COVID-19-related death is 70-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive Jan. 7 and died Jan. 14 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,468th COVID-19-related death is 78-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive Jan. 8 and died Jan. 13 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,469th COVID-19-related death is 73-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive Dec. 21, 2021 and died Jan. 11 at Providence Newberg Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,470th^h COVID-19-related death is 66-year-old man from Multnomah County who died Jan. 12 at Oregon Health and Science University Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,471st COVID-19-related death is 81-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive Dec. 29, 2021 and died Jan. 17 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,472nd COVID-19-related death is 70-year-old man from Benton County who tested positive Dec. 23, 2021 and died Jan. 17 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,473rd COVID-19-related death is 95-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive Jan. 3 and died Jan. 18 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,474th COVID-19-related death is 85-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive Jan. 11 and died Jan. 19 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,475th COVID-19-related death is 88-year-old woman from Lincoln County who tested positive Jan. 5 and died Jan. 15 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,476th COVID-19-related death is 78-year-old woman from Lincoln County who tested positive Jan. 12 and died Jan. 13 at Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,477th COVID-19-related death is 72-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Sept. 24, 2021 and died Feb. 11 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,478th COVID-19-related death is 80-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 17 and died Jan. 18 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,479th COVID-19-related death is 80-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive Feb. 4 and died Feb. 18 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,480th COVID-19-related death is 63-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 30 and died Feb. 20 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,481st COVID-19-related death is 64-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Feb. 19 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,482nd COVID-19-related death is 74-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 19 and died Feb. 17 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,483rd COVID-19-related death is 66-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive Feb. 7 and died Feb. 20 at Mercy Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,484th COVID-19-related death is 74-year-old woman from Yamhill County who tested positive Feb. 13 and died Feb. 20 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,485th COVID-19-related death is 71-year-old man from Umatilla County who tested positive Jan. 19 and died Jan. 30 at his residence.

Wednesday, February 23

Oregon’s 4,448th and 5,384th COVID-19-related deaths, reported on Nov. 3, 2021, and Dec. 13, 2021, respectively, were identified to be the same person. Because of this update, OHA is renumbering its report to start with 6,485 on Feb. 23.

Oregon’s 6,485th COVID-19-related death is 88-year-old man from Jefferson County who tested positive Feb. 10 and died Feb. 21 at St. Charles Bend.

Oregon’s 6,486th COVID-19-related death is 76-year-old man from Coos County who tested positive Feb. 4 and died Feb. 19 at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,487th COVID-19-related death is 65-year-old man from Coos County who tested positive Feb. 2 and died Feb. 18 at Bay Area Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,488th COVID-19-related death is 94-year-old man from Baker County who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Jan. 31 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,489th COVID-19-related death is 81-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive Jan. 12 and died Feb. 20 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,490th COVID-19-related death is 79-year-old man from Umatilla County who tested positive Jan. 24 and died Feb.17 at Kadlec Regional Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,491st COVID-19-related death is 79-year-old man from Polk County who tested positive Feb. 16 and died at his residence. The date of his death is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 6,492nd COVID-19-related death is 78-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive Feb. 18 and died Feb. 20 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,493rd COVID-19-related death is 60-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive Feb. 16 and died Feb. 17 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,494th COVID-19-related death is 56-year-old woman from Multnomah County who tested positive Feb. 14 and died Feb. 20 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 6,495th COVID-19-related death is 85-year-old man from Multnomah County who tested positive Jan. 25 and died Feb.13 at Providence Portland Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,496th COVID-19-related death is 80-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Feb. 1 and died Feb.18 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,497th COVID-19-related death is 23-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Feb. 18 and died Feb. 20 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,498th COVID-19-related death is 95-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Feb. 14 and died Feb.19 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,499th COVID-19-related death is 79-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive Feb.12 and died Feb.19 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,500th COVID-19-related death is 91-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive Jan. 25 and died Feb. 19 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,501st COVID-19-related death is 79-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Feb. 10 and died Feb.19 at Santiam Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,502nd COVID-19-related death is 94-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Jan. 27 and died Feb. 17 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,503rd COVID-19-related death is 68-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Feb. 1 and died Feb. 19 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,504th COVID-19-related death is 97-year-old man from Marion County who tested positive Jan. 28 and died Feb. 14 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,505th COVID-19-related death is 50-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive Jan. 28 and died Feb.14 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,506th COVID-19-related death is 66-year-old woman from Marion County who tested positive Dec. 20, 2021 and died Feb. 19 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,507th COVID-19-related death is 69-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive Feb. 20 and died Feb. 20 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend.

Oregon’s 6,508th COVID-19-related death is 70-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive Feb. 15 and died Feb. 16 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend.

Oregon’s 6,509th COVID-19-related death is 94-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive Feb. 10 and died Feb.17 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,510th COVID-19-related death is 78-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive Feb. 8 and died Feb. 21 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,511st COVID-19-related death is 86-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive Feb. 7 and died Feb. 20 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend.

Oregon’s 6,512th COVID-19-related death is 51-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive Feb. 4 and died Feb.19 at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center at Riverbend.

Oregon’s 6,513th COVID-19-related death is 81-year-old man from Lane County who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Feb.20 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend.

Oregon’s 6,514th COVID-19-related death is 73-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive Feb. 14 and died Feb. 17 at Ashland Community Hospital.

Oregon’s 6,515th COVID-19-related death is 80-year-old woman from Jackson County who tested positive Jan. 21 and died Jan. 28 at her residence.

Oregon’s 6,516th COVID-19-related death is 53-year-old man from Gilliam County who tested positive Jan. 20 and died Jan. 21 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,517th COVID-19-related death is 66-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive Feb. 20 and died Feb. 21 at Mercy Medical Center.

Oregon’s 6,518th COVID-19-related death is 70-year-old man from Douglas County who tested positive Jan. 14 and died Feb. 2 at his residence.

Oregon’s 6,519th COVID-19-related death is 92-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive Jan. 17 and died Jan. 13 at her residence.

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 lislative 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

• Here is the OHA’s coronavirus page, with links to a number of resources. 

• Here’s a daily data tracker from the CDC.

• Oregon's Office of Emergency Management has a website for information about COVID-19.

• Multnomah County has an excellent website with lots of really important advice and guidance.
• Here’s one from the Governor’s Office.
• The Employment Department has put together a webpage with Q&A’s on a number of employment issues related to COVID-19 (e.g., eligibility for Unemployment Insurance benefits).
• The Oregon Department of Education has a site for COVID-19 updates.
• The Department of Corrections has a COVID tracking website.

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