PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority reported the highest single-day increase in coronavirus cases on Thursday, overtaking the last high reported just one day earlier.
"Oregon has experienced five weeks of case growth and cases are rising faster in our rural communities and in central and eastern Oregon," the agency said. "The largest county case count today was in Umatilla County with 88 new cases attributed to outbreaks and community spread."
Health officials said that there were 375 new confirmed and presumptive cases as of midnight on Wednesday, bringing the state total to 9,294. OHA also reported one more fatality attributed to the virus, bringing the state's death toll to 209 — a woman in Klamath County that local health official reported on Wednesday.
The new cases reported were in the following counties: Clackamas (22), Columbia (1), Crook (1), Deschutes (9), Douglas (2), Jackson (15), Jefferson (8), Josephine (8), Lane (15), Lincoln (3), Linn (3), Malheur (16), Marion (32), Morrow (8), Multnomah (64), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (88), Union (5), Wasco (2), Washington (67), and Yamhill (5).
OHA said that the Klamath County death was a 73-year-old woman who tested positive on June 20. The place where she died is still being confirmed, but Klamath County did say previously that she had been hospitalized. OHA confirmed that she had underlying medical conditions.
"Earlier this week, Governor Kate Brown ordered face coverings to be worn in all indoor public places throughout the state," OHA continued. "Masks and face coverings, along with maintaining 6-feet of distancing between people has been shown to contain the spread of COVID-19."
OHA to report outbreaks in child care facilities
The Oregon Health Authority has previously shared outbreaks at long-term care facilities and large workplaces, but the agency says that it will now start reporting outbreaks for child care facilities that enroll 30 or more children and have five or more cases.
The weekly report will also include the total number of facilities statewide — no matter how many children they enroll — that have five or more cases.
"Today’s Weekly Report covers data from June 22-28," OHA said. "In the report, most indicators point to a resurgence in COVID-19 transmission. OHA recorded 1,402 new cases of COVID-19 infection, an 11 percent increase from the previous week (1,263 new cases). In addition, 12 Oregonians were reported to have died, the same number as the preceding week."
About 75 percent of recent cases have been among people under the age of 50. OHA said that the statewide hospital capacity remains sufficient for the time being, since hospitalization is less common among young people.
