PORTLAND, Ore. — As the number of cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continues to rise in Oregon, there is concern for the safety of health care workers caring for the sick in medical facilities across the state.
In the latest weekly COVID-19 report from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), 15 medical facilities were listed on the table of active workplace outbreaks, which OHA specifies as five or more employees at workplaces where there are at least 30 workers. Among those 15 locations there were 365 cases of COVID-19.
The number of locations and cases were both higher than what was reported in the OHA report released last week, which had 10 locations and 319 cases.
The largest outbreaks are at Salem Hospital (95 cases), Good Sheperd Hospital (73), Oregon State Hospital (57), Mercy Medical Center (47) and the Roseburg VA Health Care System (20).
For many of these locations, outbreak investigations began months ago but the facilities remain on the list of active workplace outbreaks as new cases are reported. The investigation at Salem Hospital, for example, started May 27 and had its most recent onset Nov. 23.
INTERACTIVE: PPE currently on hand at Oregon Hospitals
According to OHA, an outbreak remains active if there has been a case within the past 28 days. Once a facility has passed the 28-day mark, OHA moves that facility to a table for resolved outbreaks. Once a facility has gone 56 days without a new case, it's removed from the list entirely.
Here’s a look at active workplace outbreaks at medical facilities in Oregon:
Total number of locations: 15
Total number of cases: 365
Salem Hospital, Salem, Marion County
- Start of investigation: May 27
- Most recent onset: Nov. 23
- Total cases: 95
Good Shepherd Hospital, Hermiston, Umatilla County
- Start of investigation: July 16
- Most recent onset: Nov. 27
- Total cases: 73
Oregon State Hospital, Salem, Marion County
- Start of investigation: July 13
- Most recent onset: Nov. 20
- Total cases: 57
Mercy Medical Center, Roseburg, Douglas County
- Start of investigation: Sept. 25
- Most recent onset: Nov. 24
- Total cases: 47
Roseburg VA Health Care System, Roseburg, Douglas County
- Start of investigation: Sept. 18
- Most recent onset: Nov. 20
- Total cases: 20
Talecris Plasma Resources, Portland, Multnomah County
- Start of investigation: Oct. 17
- Most recent onset: Nov. 16
- Total cases: 12
Trillium Family Services, Portland, Multnomah County
- Start of investigation: Oct. 20
- Most recent onset: Nov. 16
- Total cases: 10
Providence Portland Medical Center (B), Portland, Multnomah County
- Start of investigation: Nov. 23
- Most recent onset: Nov. 21
- Total cases: 9
Grande Ronde Hospital, La Grande, Union County
- Start of investigation: Nov. 12
- Most recent onset: Nov. 14
- Total cases: 8
Oregon Health & Science University (C), Portland, Multnomah County
- Start of investigation: Oct. 10
- Most recent onset: Nov. 19
- Total cases: 7
Bay Area Hospital, Coos Bay, Coos County
- Start of investigation: Nov. 12
- Most recent onset: Nov. 21
- Total cases: 6
Providence Portland Medical Center (A), Portland, Multnomah County
- Start of investigation: Nov. 21
- Most recent onset: Nov. 18
- Total cases: 6
Albany General Hospital, Albany, Linn County
- Start of investigation: Nov. 3
- Most recent onset: Nov. 18
- Total cases: 5
Mid-Columbia Center for Living, Hood River, Hood River County
- Start of investigation: Nov. 13
- Most recent onset: Nov. 18
- Total cases: 5
Multnomah County Midcounty Health Center, Portland, Multnomah County
- Start of investigation: Nov. 6
- Most recent onset: Nov. 24
- Total cases: 5
