UPDATE (2:42 p.m. PT) — Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties — all in the Portland metro area — are the only counties in the state that have not yet applied for Gov. Kate Brown’s phase one reopening plan.
Oregon tops 3,400 confirmed coronavirus cases
A 66-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on April 11 and died on May 13 at Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.
A 61-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on April 22 and died on May 12 at Oregon Health & Science University. He had underlying medical conditions.
A 66-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on March 29 and died on May 4 at Providence St Vincent’s Medical Center. He had underlying medical conditions.
]]>
Clark County approaches 400 confirmed cases
In Southwest Washington, Clark County Public Health announced four new confirmed cases of coronavirus Thursday, bringing the county’s total number of known cases to 399.
No additional deaths were reported Thursday. In total, 24 people are known to have died of COVID-19 in Clark County.
According to the most recently available data from the Washington Department of Health, the state of Washington has 17,512 confirmed coronavirus cases and 975 coronavirus-related deaths.
At least 8 Oregon State Parks have reopened beach access
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has gradually, and without any public announcements, been reopening parks with limited day access on a daily basis. This soft-launch reopening strategy is meant to ease the public back in and avoid overcrowding.
Of the 17 parks that have so far reopened along the south coast, eight have beach access. Those parks are: Tseriadun State Recreation Site, Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint, Humbug Mountain State Park, Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint, Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, Bullards Beach State Park, McVay Rock State Recreation Site, and Sunset Bay State Park.
OPRD requirements to reopen parks include community readiness, staff readiness and if they can safely manage the park to protect the public health of visitors and staff. State officials have been calling on residents to stay within 50 miles of their homes when considering a state park as a recreation destination.
There are now over 70 reopened Oregon state parks including the popular cycling destination Banks-Vernonia State Trail in rural Washington County, and Smith Rock State Park, Farewell Bend State Recreation Area and Deschutes River State Recreation Area in Central Oregon. More state parks are expected to reopen soon.
Oregon receives 14,100 new unemployment claims
Some Oregon cities and counties approved to begin reopening
Oregon releases guidance on child care facilities reopening
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued new guidelines for child care centers Wednesday to provide more flexibility as parts of the state’s economy reopen, though some standards remain the same as what had been previously required under “emergency rules.”
When Brown ordered on March 23 that child care centers had to either operate under new rules or close, more than 40% of centers in the state shut down.
Since then, Oregon’s Early Learning Division opened up grant opportunities for emergency centers.
Brown’s new rules, effective May 15, maintain the same child-to-adult ratios as the state-mandated for emergency centers and continue to prioritize care for the children of essential workers. But, centers “may also serve all families who return to work in phased reopening.”
Copyright 2020 Oregon Public Broadcasting