PORTLAND, Ore. — Six people in Oregon are now suspected to have died from be from heat-related causes connected to the ongoing heat wave, five of them in Multnomah County and one in Coos County.
Multnomah County reported Tuesday that the fifth death in the county was a 67-year-old woman found in the 97212 ZIP code. Her death was discovered on Monday, July 8, when Portland saw a high temperature of 100 degrees.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner's office also confirmed the death of a 33-year-old man in Coos County, although officials did not provide any further details about the case.
On Monday, Multnomah County reported that the deaths of three county residents were under investigation as possibly heat-related. All three were men and Multnomah County residents. The county also reported the additional death of 33-year-old man, a Clackamas County resident who died in a Portland-area hospital on Saturday — marking the fourth death in Multnomah County.
The first reported death was an 87-year-old man who was discovered in the 97230 ZIP code on Friday. That ZIP code covers parts of Northeast Portland and North Gresham. The second death, a 64-year-old man, was reported Sunday, July 7 in the 97206 ZIP code in Southeast Portland. A third, a 75-year-old man found in the 97216 ZIP code, was also reported on Sunday.
The Multnomah Medical Examiner's Office is investigating each of the deaths. It could take several weeks or months for investigators to confirm the four men's causes of death. Additional tests and investigations will determine whether their deaths were heat-related.
Heat illness can be serious, especially for older adults. Dr. Sean Robinson with OHSU said the added risk comes down to changes in cooling mechanisms. So, it’s important for everyone to do a few things aside from staying hydrated and out of the sun.
"Just getting your clothing wet while you’re out and about can help that evaporation and cool you off," he said. "The other thing that can put somebody at risk as we get older as we start collecting medications because of chronic disease and you are more likely to have chronic diseases that put you at risk."
And it’s also been a busy stretch for first responders.
“I would say the calls that we’ve seen during this heat wave are consistent with past heat waves that we’ve had,” said Jacob Fuhrer with Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue (TVF&R).
TVF&R oversees an area of about 390 square miles that’s home to about 550,000 people. Fuhrer said first responders have reported to several heat-related calls since Friday, some of which were from people working on their yard outdoors.
“I know multiple people who have had experiences with heat-related illness,” said Fuhrer. “And never thought that it would be them and maybe their child too.”
While temperatures are expected to dip back down into the low 90s and upper 80s during this next week, Robinson said it will still be important to listen to your body and take breaks when needed. Getting 150 minutes of exercise per week can greatly help your body prepare for future heat waves, he added.
“You need to really take it seriously and cool off," said Robinson. "It could truly lead to death or what we say, and in organ dysfunction, which is your kidney shutting off or problems with your heart, problems with your brain and brain, swelling, and those types of things.”