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Lane Co. Health Officials: 'Public Is Key To Getting Kids Back In Classrooms'

Tiffany Eckert

Lane County Public Health reports there have been an average of 70 COVID-19 cases per week-- for the last five weeks. The rate of positive cases has risen to 2%-- the highest so far in the outbreak. But that’s well below the state’s threshold of a 5% positivity rate, one of the requirements for allowing in-person classes to resume. 

Health officials note the rate of sporadic or community spread is another story--it remains at a problematic 30%.

Spokesperson Jason Davis said the public is key to reducing rates of infection. He urges vigilant use of masking, distancing and hygiene. “And thinking, ‘how can I prioritize health? How can I keep my family, myself and those around me as safe as possible?’”

Davis said, ”that kind of mindset is really what’s going to help us get these numbers down and eventually, help get our kids back in their classroom and keep our businesses open.”

Another problematic area in countywide case investigation: the high rate of transmission in Latinx communities. 26-percent of positive cases countywide identify as Latinx while that minority group represents under 10-percent of the overall population.

“Targeted testing” has reached 3 thousand people and resulted in a total of 22 positive test results. Over half of those have been Lantinx.

There have been 552 positive cases of COVID-19 in Lane County. Four people are currently hospitalized and 32 are considered infectious. Three people have died from the virus in Lane County. 

Credit Lane County Public Health video
LC Public Health spokesperson Jason Davis and ASL interpreter describe current COVID-19 transmission trends and how the county is aligning with state requirements for returning to in-person learning.

Tiffany joined the KLCC News team in 2007. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia and worked in a variety of media including television, technical writing, photography and daily print news before moving to the Pacific Northwest.
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