Oregon COVID-19 cases soar, raising questions about post-vacation surge



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Oregon reported 1,225 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, as part of a trend of increasing cases that began in the week after Christmas.

The seven-day moving average of new cases stood at 898 on December 30. But it edged up – to an average of 1,032 on Sunday – raising questions as to whether vacation travel and indoor celebrations are the culprits driving the numbers up.

State officials have not officially declared that a “post-vacation flare” is underway, but they say the transmission of the coronavirus was “significantly reduced” between late November and mid-December before starting an upward trajectory. At the current rate, the daily new cases identified could reach around 1,780 later this month.

In Oregon over the past two weeks, new daily cases have increased by 24% and deaths by 14%.

Nationally, experts say it’s clear a post-vacation surge has increased new cases by 34% and deaths by 43% in the past two weeks.

Here are other COVID-19 statistics released on Sunday:

Vaccinations: The Oregon Health Authority announced on Sunday that just over 97,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered since December 16. This means the state is likely within a day of reaching 100,000 inoculations, a mark that health officials had previously hoped for. would have completed on December 31.

The state has adjusted its vaccination plan in recent days to speed up the pace of vaccinations – and based on the daily injection numbers updated Sunday for the previous days, the state appears to be vaccinating more people.

The state now says vaccinations hit a record high on Friday, with 9,985 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines given to people in phase 1a. This includes about 400,000 people who will each need two doses of the vaccine for full effectiveness. Those in phase 1a are mainly healthcare workers, first responders, prison and prison workers, and residents of collective care facilities such as nursing homes.

When the new cases are by county: Baker (5), Benton (15), Clackamas (86), Clatsop (6), Columbia (17), Coos (11), Curry (1), Deschutes (51), Douglas (13), Hood River (10) , Jackson (39), Jefferson (11), Josephine (18), Klamath (43), Lane (89), Lincoln (4), Linn (27), Malheur (1), Marion (233), Morrow (4) , Multnomah (229), Polk (45), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (34), Union (6), Wallowa (4), Wasco (10), Washington (180), Yamhill (32).

New deaths: The state reported two new deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 1,605 since the start of the pandemic.

A 96-year-old Lane County woman with underlying conditions tested positive on December 29 and died Thursday at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Riverbend.

A 69-year-old Multnomah County man with underlying illnesses tested positive on November 17 and died on Saturday. Authorities are still checking the place of his death.

Prevalence of infections: The state reported 1,137 positive test results out of 14,238 test reports performed. That’s an 8% positivity rate.

Hospitalizations: The state reported 403 hospitalized patients, 18 fewer than the day before. The number of patients in intensive care units has increased by three, to 84.

Since he started: Officials are reporting 125,683 confirmed or suspected cases, 1,605 deaths and 2,826,905 lab reports from testing.

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– Aimee Green; [email protected]; @o_aimee

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