Lane County surpassed a previous high count for positive COVID-19 cases, this weekend. Lane County Public Health reported 130 cases, one COVID-19 related death, and a workplace cluster.
The death of an 83-year-old male from the Eugene-Springfield area, was also announced. He had been hospitalized at the time of his death.
Public Health spokesperson Jason Davis said 81 of the cases were from last Friday, and these were related to recent spikes.
“The majority of the cases were contacts of cases that we reported on Tuesday and Wednesday and we’re just catching up on those contacts, getting them tested, getting test results back,” he said. “We saw that big spike as a result of the overall spike that we’ve seen over the last week and a half to two weeks.”
LCPH identified the Eugene Water and Electric Board as a workplace cluster. Eight of its staff members and six others who had contact with employees have test positive.
“We first learned of our first positive case last week," said Joe Harwood, an EWEB spokesperson, "the outbreak has been limited and we hope contained, and I think that speaks well of the precautions EWEB continues to take in the workplace.”
Harwood couldn’t say whether employees who tested positive shared an office space, or had contact with one another.
“None of the EWEB employees that have tested positive have any face to face interactions with customers or the general public outside of the workplace,” Harwood said.
He added that any employees showing symptoms of COVID-19 are sent home, and the organization reminds workers to social distiance, wear a mask, and wash their hands.
The sharp increase in cases comes after Lane County officials warned last week the county could be placed under Phase 1 restrictions.
“Our case rates are unsustainable, they’re far too high and we’re seeing community spread...We’re not seeing these cases really relegated to University of Oregon students, [the cases are] really spread out throughout the community,” Davis said.
The University of Oregon continues to be on high alert along with the county. 48 cases were reported over the weekend on the university’s website. Lane County includes these cases in their reports.
As of Monday, there are a total of 1,516 cases of COVID-19 since Lane County began collecting data. There are 236 currently infectious individuals and 4 people are hospitalized. There are 20 COVID-19 related deaths.
Copyright 2020 KLCC
