COVID-19 outbreak linked to music festival in eastern Oregon

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) – Local health officials are looking into a COVID-19 outbreak linked to an outdoor music festival in eastern Oregon.

KATU-TV reports that Umatilla County Public Health Director Joseph Fiumara said authorities linked 66 cases of COVID-19 to the Pendleton Whiskey Music Fest on July 10.

The public health director says outbreaks linked to outdoor music festivals raise new concerns about outdoor transmission and the more contagious delta variant.

Fiumara says 61 of those who tested positive were not vaccinated. Fiumara says 43 of the cases involve residents of Umatilla County.

“With delta, some of our assumptions about the safety of an outdoor event are probably not as good as they were with the original version of this virus,” Fiumara said. “I think that means it’s not as safe as we were comfortable with.

Health officials continue to encourage those who are not yet vaccinated to get vaccinated.

“My advice to people is to get vaccinated first. It’s not 100%, but it will likely prevent you from going to the hospital and lower your risk of death, ”said Fiumara.