UPDATE (6:31 p.m. PT) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority have approved Marion and Polk counties to begin phased reopening Friday.
The approvals come after state officials rejected the counties’ initial applications last week, citing concerns over increased hospitalizations in the Salem area. The counties have since seen a downward trend in hospitalizations.
“We are proud of what our communities and public health teams have accomplished to slow the spread of COVID-19. As we have all worked together to protect public health, we have also seen businesses closed and livelihoods destroyed,” said Marion County Commissioner Colm Willis in a statement.
“Our plan encourages businesses, churches and other organizations to move forward in a limited capacity while continuing to protect the health of our community.”
Phase 1 of Brown’s reopening plan allows for several types of businesses and services to resume while maintaining distancing and sanitation standards.
While hospitalizations are down, Marion County continues to have one of Oregon’s biggest concentrations of coronavirus cases. Health officials reported 24 new cases of COVID-19 in Marion County on Wednesday.
Marion County has increased its level of contact tracing to 22 full-time equivalent staff members, up from 2.5. There are also ongoing efforts to retain further assistance from Oregon State University and Douglas County. Marion County is also working with Latino organization Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) and the Marion County Farm Bureau to further develop coordinated efforts for testing farmworkers and the distribution of personal protective equipment among the Latino community.
According to Polk County administrator Greg Hansen, his county is training more than 25 full-time equivalent staff members to meet contact tracing needs, and is seeing a downward trend in hospitalizations.
All counties are required to remain in Phase 1 for at least 21 days before loosening further restrictions.
Some counties in the Portland metro area are moving forward with applying for Phase 1 — Clackamas County’s application, dated May 19, is under initial review by the Oregon Health Authority. Washington County has pushed up it’s reopening plans from mid-June to June 1.
Multnomah County’s future is less certain, and it isn’t giving a date for when it might reopen.
According to Tri-County Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines, they’re focused on protecting the most vulnerable communities.
“We really want to get this right, we want to feel like Multnomah County is ready to safely reopen. And in particular that it’s safe for those most vulnerable. And we know those to be the elderly, communities of color and our essential workers, so caution is the first thing.”
Multnomah County has seen about 40% of all coronavirus deaths in the state and has a greater prevalence of homeless people and those in long-term care. The county now has 45 contact tracers, with hopes to hire 80 more.
Across the river from Portland, Clark County in Southwest Washington could also reopen soon. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday 10 counties may apply to enter the state’s second phase of reopening, including Clark County. It’s not clear when the county will get its application submitted to the state’s health department.
Portland VA hospital imposes restrictions amid outbreak
A COVID-19 outbreak at the Portland Veterans Affairs hospital has infected 27 staff and seven veteran-patients, prompting the system to tighten restrictions.
Ambulances are not allowed to bring patients to the VA emergency department, and the hospital is not accepting inpatient transfers from outside medical systems, VA Portland Health Care System director Darwin Goodspeed said in a letter to veterans this week. All staff, patients and visitors are required to wear masks.
The VA has also increased employee testing and is increasing temperature checks on staff.
Veterans can still visit the emergency department if they don’t arrive in an ambulance, Goodspeed said, and some in-patient visits will continue. But as much as possible, the VA encouraged veterans to schedule phone or video appointments with their medical providers.
The current outbreak appears to be limited to two inpatient wards.
“The situation seems to be stabilizing and our mitigation efforts are paying off,” Goodspeed wrote. “Hopefully this cluster is behind us as we continue to rethink how to provide world-class health care to our veteran heroes in these uncertain times.”
Since the novel coronavirus was first detected in Oregon, three deaths have been associated with the VA Portland Health Care System, including the state’s first COVID-19 death, of a 70-year-old man in mid-March.
Oregon at more than 3,800 known coronavirus cases
The Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday reported the state’s total number of known coronavirus cases at 3,801.
That number includes positive tests and presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are people who have not tested positive but have coronavirus symptoms and have come into close contact with a positive case.
The OHA also totaled the state’s coronavirus-related deaths at 144, after listing four new deaths.
Clark County has tallied 25 deaths
The public health agency in Clark County, Washington announced Wednesday that three more residents have tested positive for COVID-19. In total, 415 people have tested positive and 25 people have died.
According to the most recently available data from the Washington Department of Health, there are 18,811 confirmed coronavirus cases in Washington state and 1,031 known deaths.
Bradley W. Parks
/The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, Ore., is pictured Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019.
Copyright 2020 Oregon Public Broadcasting
