The Oregon Health Authority announced 381 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday along with four new deaths, raising the state’s coronavirus death toll to 2,357.
The numbers come as Gov. Kate Brown announced Friday that counties that have vaccinated a majority of their seniors may start inoculating front-line workers and people ages 45 to 64 with underlying conditions starting March 22, one week earlier than originally planned.
Oregon will also move up the timeline for vaccinating people ages 16 to 44 with underlying health conditions from May 1 to April 19. The changes come in response to a federal requirement that vaccinations open to everyone 16 and older by May 1. Officials are now moving up timelines for at-risk groups to ensure they get a first crack at doses.
Coronavirus case numbers around the state have largely been declining since a spike in mid-January, but they have essentially plateaued in March.
In Portland, elementary schoolers are set to begin in-person classes after spring break after the school board approved the district’s agreement with its teachers union on the conditions for resuming face-to-face teaching Thursday evening.
Where the new cases are by county: Benton (6), Clackamas (42), Clatsop (4), Columbia (1), Coos (23), Crook (3), Curry (13), Deschutes (15), Douglas (12), Grant (4), Harney (1), Jackson (30), Jefferson (3), Josephine (31), Klamath (9), Lake (1), Lane (16), Lincoln (8), Linn (10), Malheur (3), Marion (27), Multnomah (54), Polk (4), Umatilla (15), Union (2), Wasco (1), Washington (39) and Yamhill (4).
Who died: Oregon’s 2,354th COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old Clatsop County man who tested positive Jan. 3 and died Jan. 8. State officials are confirming where he died.
The 2,355th death is an 88-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive Feb. 28 and died March 18 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.
The 2,356th death is an 80-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Feb. 24 and died March 17 at Salem Hospital.
The 2,357th death is an 89-year-old Wasco County man who tested positive Feb. 11 and died Feb. 11. State officials are confirming where he died.
Each person who died had underlying health conditions or officials were determining if the person had underlying medical conditions.
The prevalence of infections: On Friday, the state reported 553 new positive tests out of 17,483 tests performed, equaling a 3.2% positivity rate.
Who got infected: New confirmed or presumed infections grew among the following age groups: 0-9 (15); 10-19 (53); 20-29 (71); 30-39 (62); 40-49 (63); 50-59 (45); 60-69 (41); 70-79 (14); 80 and older (7).
Who’s in the hospital: The state reported 115 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections were hospitalized Friday, one fewer than Thursday. Of those, 30 coronavirus patients were in intensive care units, eight fewer than Thursday.
Vaccines administered: Oregon has administered 1,450,605 first and second doses out of 1,808,075 received, which is about 80.2% of its supply. Oregon reported 39,348 newly administered doses, which includes 23,038 on Thursday and the remainder from previous days.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 160,994 confirmed or presumed infections and 2,357 deaths, among the lowest per capita numbers in the nation. To date, the state has reported over 4,038,731 lab reports from tests.
-- Jaimie Ding
[email protected]; 503-221-4395; @j_dingdingding
