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 reported.
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: 70 deaths, 1,785 cases, 36,321 tests (34,536 negative) Latest Oregon numbers
- Washington: 603 deaths, 11,445 cases, 131,627 tests (120,182 negative) Latest Washington numbers
- United States: 37,054 deaths, 702,164 cases Latest U.S. numbers
- World: 154,219 deaths, 2,244,303 cases Latest global numbers
11:20 p.m.
- The leaders of the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Association of Hospitals are pleading with Oregonians to continue to stay home and social distance. The director of the Oregon Health Authority said Oregonians' sacrifices over the last six weeks probably cut COVID-19 infections down by 75%. Learn more
- A model from the University of Washington, which has received criticism for its projections of Oregon's coronavirus timeline, has now set a projected date for when Oregon could relax social distancing measures. Learn more
- A petition is seeking to reopen hair Oregon salons to one customer at a time as a way for hair stylists to begin earning money again during the coronavirus pandemic. Learn more
- The city of Camas offered its residents an incentive to support local businesses during the COVID-19 crisis: A break on their utility bills. The city's Support Local & Save Challenge offers residents $15 off their utility bill for every $25 they spend at small Camas businesses. Learn more
6:50 p.m.
- Despite all the bad news about the economy, there’s a bright spot: Marijuana and liquor stores in Oregon saw records sales in March. Marijuana sales were up 65% in the third week of March, compared to the same week in March 2019. Since then, sales dipped significantly. Learn more
- Musicians are using their talents in a catchy tune to remind people around the world to stay home. Learn more
5:50 p.m.
- Six veterans so far have lost their lives due to coronavirus at the Oregon Veterans' Home in Lebanon and among them was 95-year-old World War II veteran Robin Barrett. "No one can be replaced. But that man was really special, just a really special man," his daughter said. Learn more
- Portland police say commercial thefts and shootings are on the rise. Calls for service initially decreased since Gov. Brown's emergency declaration, but crime is now trending back to normal or above normal levels. Learn more
- We're officially one week into a distance learning directive that rolled out across the state of Oregon. Portland Public Schools says the transition has been tough but they've continued to make progress. Learn more
12:35 p.m.
- Oregon announced six more deaths of COVID-19, bringing the state death toll to 70 people. The state also announced 49 new cases, bringing the number of known coronavirus cases in Oregon to 1,785. Learn more
11 a.m.
- Scientists at Oregon State University will soon begin going door-to-door in Corvallis to test the community for COVID-19. The goal of the groundbreaking study is to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community by taking samples from households throughout the city. Learn more
10:50 a.m.
- Clark County updated its COVID-19 numbers to show 277 people have tested positive for the virus. The county has a total of 16 deaths. It has tested 2,693 people in total.
6:45 a.m.
- Yesterday we reported that Oregon high school students won’t receive letter grades for classes they took in the latter half of this academic year but will instead be marked as passing their courses or earn an incomplete for the term. Learn more
- American Red Cross asking COVID-19 survivors to donate convalescent plasma. Learn more
- Portland photographer captures images of social-distancing families through their windows. Learn more
- In the wake of widespread layoffs and furloughs, a coalition of seven independent health care clinics and groups across Oregon and Southwest Washington are pressing federal and state officials for help. They say Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s moratorium on elective and non-urgent procedures is pushing them to the brink of permanent financial ruin. Learn more