PORTLAND, Ore. — Cases of COVID-19, a new strain of coronavirus, began popping up in the United States in January. On Feb. 28, the first case in Oregon was announced.
We will post a new blog every day that tracks the daily changes in Oregon and Southwest Washington as we get them. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST UPDATES
As of Friday evening:
- Oregon: 48 deaths, 1,371 cases, 27,224 tests (25,863 negative) Latest Oregon numbers
- Washington: 475 deaths, 9,887 cases, 88,006 tests (78,119 negative) Latest Washington numbers
- United States: 18,769 deaths, 501,419cases Latest U.S. numbers
- World: 102,764 deaths, 1,698,416 cases Latest global numbers
9:45 p.m.
- Every Friday night through mid-June the lights at a number of high school football stadiums in the Portland area will shine for 20 minutes to honor the class of 2020. Learn more
- With stimulus payments set to begin, the IRS will soon launch an online tool to let people know when their money should arrive. Learn more
7:40 p.m.
- The Oregonian reports 10 residents from a Southeast Portland nursing home have died from COVID-19. The death toll at Healthcare at Foster Creek accounts for nearly one in five coronavirus deaths in the state. Learn more
- A woman who says she was abused by a relative for close to a decade is worried he could be released early amid the coronavirus pandemic.“Every single day he's in there means everything to me because that is what I fought for,” she said. “It's my justice, and it's taken away.” Learn more
- For more than 20 years, New Avenues for Youth has been helping young people experiencing homelessness or housing instability. The coronavirus outbreak shut down some of its operations but the nonprofit found new ways to help at-risk youth. Learn more
6:40 p.m.
- The Oregon Lottery expects a $250-$500M revenue drop due to the coronavirus pandemic, which would leave a large hole in the state budget. The lottery is the state’s second largest source of revenue, behind personal income taxes. Learn more
- Rapid tests for COVID-19 will soon be available in three rural Oregon counties. The bad news is there are only enough supplies at the moment for up to 48 people. Learn more
- Mayor Ted Wheeler is encouraging Portlanders to maintain social distancing practices, saying it's the best technique to save lives and get businesses reopened as soon as possible. Learn more
- Fishing is on in Oregon, but state parks are shut down, closing ramps and water access, too. And many cities and counties have closed their boat ramps for now. But for the boat ramps that remain open, they've been busy despite social distancing guidelines. Learn more
- It's the weekend, and you're stuck at home. But you can still have a lot of weekend plans, thanks to the creativity of local parks, museums, and music festivals. Learn more
4:25 p.m.
- The Oregon Health Authority confirmed the earlier information from the OEM, announcing four more COVID-19 deaths and 51 new cases. The four people who died were all in Multnomah County. Learn more
1:45 p.m.
- The Oregon Office Emergency Management says there is now a total of 48 deaths and 1,371 cases, which means there have been four more deaths and 51 new known cases since Thursday. The Oregon Health Authority has not yet released more information about the new deaths or cases.
- State parks, many federal trailheads, and all private and public recreational campgrounds are closed in Oregon to prevent people from gathering. But still, with sunny weather over the past week and more expected this weekend, many people are ignoring the closures to access these areas. Officials have tried an educate-first approach but are prepared to crackdown if necessary. Learn more
- With warm and sunny spring weather expected this weekend, many people will have the urge to get out of the house. Here's what's open -- and what's not -- and how you can maintain social distancing. Learn more
- Portland police officers will wear masks while working in order to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Police chief Jami Resch said Friday that all members of the police bureau who have to physically be at work will wear cloth face coverings, surgical masks or respirators depending on the incidents they respond to. Learn more
- The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service have launched a new online tool that allows people who don't normally file a tax return to quickly register for their coronavirus stimulus check. Learn more
7:20 a.m.
- After hours-long waits in long lines, Portland Public Schools won’t distribute computers to students Friday. Learn more
- People will be celebrating Holy Week and Passover online this year as in-person services are banned. "We're all a little broken right now," Rabbi Eve Posen said. "But we're going to make it out okay." Learn more
- Fear of catching and spreading COVID-19 to her husband almost led a Portland woman to leave a busy grocery store empty-handed. Instead, her concerns opened the door to an act of great kindness. Learn more