PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported 2,057 new COVID-19 cases and nine more deaths on Thursday, as the raging delta variant continues to overwhelm the state's hospitals with new patients.
OHA said it has also noticed an increase in hospitalizations among young children.
A record 1,085 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Oregon, up from 845 just a week ago. That's a 28% increase. OHA has not released how many of those patients are children, but OHA's pediatric dashboard shows a sharp increase in child infections.
The state has reported more than 2,000 daily cases 11 times since Aug. 10.
Weekly Breakthrough Case Report
In a weekly update, OHA reported that 14,523 new COVID-19 cases were reported between Aug. 15-21. Of those cases, 88% occurred in people who were unvaccinated. The remaining 12%, or 1,739 cases, were considered "breakthrough cases," meaning they occurred in fully vaccinated individuals.
OHA said the rate of COVID-19 spread among unvaccinated people is about six times higher than in vaccinated people.
About 5.5% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and less than 1% have died. The median age of the people who died was 83.
To date, there have been 9,539 breakthrough cases in Oregon, a small number when compared to the 2.38 million Oregonians who've completed a vaccine series.
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Hospitalizations
There are 1,085 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Oregon, which is five more than Wednesday. Of those patients, 299 are in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, four more than Wednesday.
"A key finding this week is an increase in hospitalizations in children 0-5 years," OHA said in a news release. "This isn’t just in Oregon. Children are now being hospitalized in large numbers across the United States as the swift-moving Coronavirus Delta variant drives cases higher."
Health officer and state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said the sharp rise in serious cases among young children is "especially disheartening."
"New hospital admission rates for kids due to COVID-19 in the U.S. have reached the highest levels since tracking pediatric cases started about a year ago," Sidelinger said. "The Delta variant is more contagious than previous variants — and likely is causing more severe disease in children, as it is in adults — and is leading to a surge in pediatric hospitalizations nationwide.
He is urging everyone who is eligible to get the vaccine to protect the community, including children under 12 who cannot get it.
"Let’s work together to keep our community and our children safe,” Sidelinger said.
Oregon has 51 available adult ICU beds out of 661 (8% availability). There are an additional 333 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,269 (8% availability).
Vaccinations
As of Thursday, 2,385,186 Oregonians have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series and 2,604,664 have had at least one dose, OHA said.
The seven-day running average is now 7,921 doses per day.
Cases and deaths
Of the 2,057 new cases reported Thursday, Jackson County had the most with 215, followed by Marion County with 206. Here are the counties that reported new cases:
Baker (15), Benton (12), Clackamas (133), Clatsop (19), Columbia (22), Coos (21), Crook (13), Curry (24), Deschutes (95), Douglas (69), Grant (29), Harney (9), Hood River (5), Jackson (215), Jefferson (8), Josephine (75), Klamath (67), Lake (5), Lane (190), Lincoln (24), Linn (103), Malheur (26), Marion (206), Morrow (13), Multnomah (184), Polk (67), Sherman (1), Tillamook (22) Umatilla (112), Union (13), Wallowa (8), Wasco (23), Washington (158), Wheeler (3) and Yamhill (68).
Oregon has reported a total of 265,210 cases during the pandemic, including 3,095 deaths.
OHA released the following information about the nine Oregonians who died:
- Oregon’s 3,087th COVID-19 associated death was a 72-year-old man from Josephine County who tested positive on Aug. 10 and died on Aug. 24 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. He had no underlying conditions.
- Oregon’s 3,088th COVID-19 associated death was an 88-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive on Aug. 15 and died on Aug. 24 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
- Oregon’s 3,089th COVID-19 associated death was a 95-year-old woman from Douglas County who tested positive on Aug. 17 and died on Aug. 25 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
- Oregon’s 3,090th COVID-19 associated death was an 81-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on Aug. 19 and died on Aug. 24 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
- Oregon’s 3,091st COVID-19 associated death was an 81-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive on Aug. 6 and died on Aug. 23 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
- Oregon’s 3,092nd COVID-19 associated death was a 52-year-old man from Tillamook County who tested positive on Aug. 12 and died on Aug. 24 at Adventist Health Tillamook. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
- Oregon’s 3,093rd COVID-19 associated death was a 53-year-old man from Washington County who tested positive on Aug. 12 and died on Aug. 24 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
- Oregon’s 3,094th COVID-19 associated death was a 78-year-old man from Umatilla County who tested positive on Aug. 15 and died on Aug. 22 at St. Mary’s Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
- Oregon’s 3,095th COVID-19 associated death was a 71-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on Aug. 16 and died on Aug. 16 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
