PORTLAND, Ore. — On Sunday, Oregon health officials announced that more than 50,000 Oregonians had contracted the coronavirus. Governor Kate Brown took to Twitter, calling it a "wake-up call" for the state.
She urged Oregonians to keep their social gatherings to small numbers, limit social interactions, wear a mask, get a flu shot and wash their hands.
Brown warned that if the state could not slow the spread of COVID-19 that she would "need to take further restrictive actions."
Oregon continues to see a surge in COVID-19 cases, with 874 new cases and one new death reported on Sunday, according to Oregon health authorities.
COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 730 and the state's total number of cases to 50,448, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) said Nov. 8.
Here are the counties with new cases reported Sunday:
- Benton: 5
- Clackamas: 127
- Clatsop: 5
- Columbia: 6
- Coos: 4
- Crook: 1
- Curry: 2
- Deschutes: 23
- Douglas: 15
- Grant: 5
- Harney: 1
- Hood River: 6
- Jackson: 67
- Jefferson: 1
- Josephine: 9
- Klamath: 6
- Lane: 57
- Linn: 5
- Malheur: 13
- Marion: 112
- Morrow: 8
- Multnomah: 216
- Polk: 17
- Tillamook: 1
- Umatilla: 25
- Union: 9
- Wallowa: 1
- Wasco: 1
- Washington: 104
- Yamhill: 22
The OHA released the following information Sunday about the person who died:
- Oregon’s 730th COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on Oct. 19 and died on Nov. 5 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon set a single-day high for new COVID-19 cases on Saturday when the OHA reported 988 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19.
Saturday's cases are the highest number reported on a single day since the start of the pandemic in Oregon.
Governor Brown announced on Friday a two-week pause on social activities in counties where COVID-19 cases are on the rise.
Clackamas County health officials reported on Saturday the county is "on the cusp" of being added to the list of counties restricting activities.
“Clackamas County residents will find out Monday if we’re subject to these further restrictions,” said Dr. Sarah Present, Clackamas County Public Health Officer. “But there are things we can do now to keep our guard up – and keep our businesses open.”
Dr. Present listed a number of steps we can all take to protect ourselves, our families, our friends and our communities:
- Cancel larger social gatherings
- Use these social limits to guide your Thanksgiving and holiday plans
- Gather indoors less often, with fewer people, for a shorter time
- Continue to wear face coverings
- Continue to physically distance yourself from others — at least 6 feet
- Continue to wash your hands often – especially before eating and touching your face
- Get your flu shot
- Stay home if you’re sick, or have been in contact with someone who’s sick
Brown posted a tweet online in response to Saturday's staggering case numbers for the state of Oregon saying Oregonians need to be on the "offense" in order to protect one another from COVID-19.
INTERACTIVE: Oregon Coronavirus Map
