PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon set a record for new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row Thursday. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported 375 new and presumed cases of COVID-19, and one new death.
Thursday’s case total surpassed Oregon’s previous record of 281 cases, which was reported Wednesday.
Health officials predict that the increase may become much steeper during the next month - potentially reaching 900 new cases per day.
The state has had five straight weeks of case growth, especially in rural communities in central and eastern Oregon. The state’s largest county case count Thursday was in Umatilla County, with 88. Health officials say the cases are due to outbreaks and community spread.
Here are the counties where new cases were reported:
- Clackamas: 22
- Columbia: 1
- Crook: 1
- Deschutes: 9
- Douglas: 2
- Jackson: 15
- Jefferson: 8
- Josephine: 8
- Lane: 15
- Lincoln: 3
- Linn: 3
- Malheur: 16
- Marion: 32
- Morrow: 8
- Multnomah: 64
- Tillamook: 1
- Umatilla: 88
- Union: 5
- Wasco: 2
- Washington: 67
- Yamhill: 5
Oregon’s COVID-19 death toll is now 209 people.
The state’s most recent death was 73-year-old a Klamath County woman who tested positive on June 20 and died June 30. She had underlying health conditions.
To slow the spread of COVID-19, people throughout Oregon are now required to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces.
“Modeling from the Oregon Health Authority shows that if we don’t take further action to reduce the spread of the disease, our hospitals could be overwhelmed by new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations within weeks,” Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday.
Despite a surge in cases, Oregon continues to have one of the lowest infection rates in the country.