PORTLAND, Ore. — Cases of COVID-19, a new strain of coronavirus, began popping up in the United States in January. The first case in Oregon was reported on Feb. 28.
We post a new blog post every day that tracks the daily changes in Oregon and Southwest Washington as we get them. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST UPDATES
BY THE NUMBERS
As of Tuesday night:
- Oregon: 140 deaths, 3,726 cases, 99,630 tests (95,994 negative) Latest Oregon numbers
- Washington: 1,031 deaths, 18,811 cases, 293,120 tests (274,309 negative) Latest Washington numbers
- United States: 91,872 deaths, 1,527,895 cases Latest U.S. numbers
- World: 323,211 deaths, 4,893,135 cases Latest global numbers
REAL-TIME UPDATES
9 p.m.
- As counties across Oregon slowly begin to reopen and take steps toward normal life amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s weekly report shows deaths, cases and the percentage of positive tests are all on the decline. Numbers last week were down across the board from the previous week. Learn more
6:45 p.m.
- The Oregon Health Authority reported two more deaths and 33 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. The state's death toll is up to 140. Learn more
- Clackamas County's Board of Commissioners voted to submit the county's Phase 1 reopening plan as "expeditiously as possible." Learn more
5:55 p.m.
- As Oregon works toward reopening, Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties are making progress. One of the biggest barriers, however, remains contact tracing. Learn more
- The University of Portland plans to open its fall semester on Aug. 17, with in-person classes scheduled to begin on Aug. 24. The Catholic university will eliminate its traditional fall break in October, finish all in-person classes for the semester on Nov. 25, and students will take final exams online. Learn more
4:45 p.m.
- Costco is again allowing more than two customers per membership card into its stores, with a handful of exceptions. Learn more
2:20 p.m.
- TriMet will receive nearly $185 million as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in March. The money will help TriMet bridge the current funding gap due to losses in fare revenue with ridership down by nearly 70%, said spokeswoman Roberta Altstadt. The funding will also help TriMet stave off service cuts and potential layoffs for the time being.
12:30 p.m.
- Washington Gov. Jay Inslee Tuesday gave the go-ahead to Clark County and nine other counties to apply to enter Phase 2 of the COVID-19 recovery plan. Phase 2 allows more outdoor recreation and limited reopening of barbershops and beauty salons and restaurants. Learn more
11:30 a.m.
- Oregon's unemployment rate soared from 3.5% in March to a record-high 14.2% in April, according to the Oregon Employment Department (OED). Learn more
7:30 a.m.
- After nearly two months, access points to many Oregon beaches reopened as part of the governor's plan to gradually reopen the state. Learn more
- The Oregon Supreme Court late Monday night put a Baker County circuit court judge’s ruling that the state’s COVID-19 restrictions are “null and void” on hold while the court considers an emergency appeal by the state. Learn more
- A legal expert explains why the Baker County judge ruled against Gov. Brown's stay-home order. Learn more
- The Oregon Liquor Control Commission reports marijuana sales were up 45% in April, compared to last year, making April 2020 the largest month on record for the state. Learn more
- Remdesivir has not officially been approved by the FDA, but it has been given emergency use authorization and it’s already being used to treat people with COVID-19 in Oregon. Learn more
- Portland International Airport now requires everyone entering the terminal to wear a face covering. The airport made the policy change last week during a monthly Port of Portland commissioners meeting. Learn more