PORTLAND, Ore. — Data from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) shows the largest COVID-19 spikes are happening in Eastern Oregon, Portland and Marion County.
In its weekly report published Wednesday, the OHA updated the breakdown of cases across the state by ZIP code. The data is current as of 11 p.m. Sunday, July 26. There were five areas that had at least 50 known new cases last week, with the top two being in Umatilla County, where the spread of the coronavirus shows no signs of slowing down.
The county consistently has one of the highest case totals in the daily COVID-19 update from the OHA. On Thursday, 111 new cases were reported in the county, although health officials said that was due in part to a delay in processing the county’s lab reports. The county has had a total of 1,902 known cases during the pandemic, the fourth most of any county in Oregon, despite having a population of around 78,000. It has more cases per capita, 234 cases per 10,000 people, than any other county in Oregon.
Workplace outbreaks are contributing to Umatilla County’s high case count. There are 64 active COVID-19 workplace outbreaks in Oregon and 15 of them, nearly 25%, are in the Eastern Oregon county. Most notably, 161 cases have been connected to Lamb Weston, a potato processing facility.
Even with the workplace outbreaks, about 45% of cases last week in the county were sporadic and couldn't be traced to a known source. The county's positive test rate is 23%, well above the state average of 4.3%. The continuing spread of COVID-19 in Umatilla County has led Gov. Kate Brown to change the county's reopening status from Phase 2 to baseline stay-home effective at noon on Friday.
What other areas of the state also saw the biggest spikes in coronavirus cases last week? Here’s a look at the 11 ZIP codes with the most new cases:
- 97838 (Hermiston, Umatilla County): 178 new cases (841 to 1,019 total cases)
- 97801 (Pendleton, Umatilla County): 86 new cases (192 to 278)
- 97071 (Woodburn, Marion County): 70 new cases (435 to 505)
- 97914 (Ontario, Malheur County): 54 new cases (374 to 428)
- 97233 (Rockwood/Centennial, Multnomah County): 51 new cases (424 to 475)
- 97230 (Portland/Government Island, Multnomah County): 48 new cases (254 to 302)
- 97236 (Centennial/Powellhurst-Gilbert, Multnomah County: 46 new cases (439 to 485)
- 97305 (Northeast of Salem, Marion County): 44 new cases (295 to 339)
- 97882 (Umatilla, Umatilla County): 43 new cases (203 to 246)
- 97818 (Morrow County): 43 new cases (110 to 153)
- 97301 (Salem, Marion County): 43 new cases (295 to 338)
Here’s a look at the 10 ZIP codes with the largest percentage increase of cases:
- 97862 (Milton-Freewater, Umatilla County): 80% (26 to 47 total cases)
- 97814 (Baker City, Baker County): 72% (11 to 19)
- 97055 (Sandy, Clackamas County): 69% (26 to 44)
- 97009 (Boring, Clackamas County): 57% (19 to 30)
- 97471 (Roseburg, Douglas County): 57% (14 to 22)
- 97351 (Monmouth, Polk County): 50% (28 to 42)
- 97801 (Pendleton, Umatilla County): 44% (192 to 278)
- 97818 (Morrow County): 39% (110 to 153)
- 97760 (Terrebonne, Deschutes County): 38% (13 to 18)
- 97005 (Beaverton, Washington County): 35% (114 to 155)
How many COVID-19 cases are in your ZIP code? Check here
For the first time since May, the OHA reported a decline in coronavirus cases last week. During the week of July 20 through July 26, the number of cases in the state decreased by 7% from the previous week.
The positive test rate also declined last week from 6.6% to 5.1% — one of the lowest rates in the country, said the Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen.
“While our situation is better than many states, due to affirmative steps taken, COVID-19 is still actively spreading in our communities and we need to continue taking the recommended steps to contain its spread,” Allen said.
Sara Cline with The Associated Press/Report for America contributed to this report.