Marion County ends contact tracing

By Willie S. Morrissey Last updated Aug 20, 2022

JIn order to provide our community with important public safety information, the Statesman Journal is making this daily coronavirus-related update free to read.

We’ll update this story with the latest on the coronavirus and its effects in Oregon on Tuesday, February 8.

Oregon reports 3,248 new cases of COVID-19 and 21 new deaths

Oregon has reported 3,248 new cases of COVID-19 and 21 new deaths.

That brings the state’s cumulative case count to 665,486 and the death toll to 6,265, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

Marion County reported 337 new cases, while Polk County reported 88 new cases.

New cases from other counties were: Baker (3), Benton (93), Clackamas (261), Clatsop (18), Columbia (57), Coos (49), Crook (40), Curry (14), Deschutes ( 178), Douglas (161), Gilliam (6), Grant (13), Harney (12), Hood River (22), Jackson (201), Jefferson (21), Josephine (89), Klamath (48), Lake (16), Lane (317), Lincoln (53), Linn (111), Malheur (49), Morrow (7), Multnomah (382), Sherman (1), Tillamook (22), Umatilla (67), Union (34), Wallowa (10), Wasco (29), Washington (349), Wheeler (10) and Yamhill (80).

There were 1,055 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on Tuesday, down 17 from Monday. Among them, 190 were in intensive care.

Oregon has administered an average of 7,472 doses of COVID-19 vaccine per day over the past week.

As of Tuesday, 2.8 million people in Oregon had completed a series of vaccines and 298,060 had received at least one dose.

The OHA has not released details of the 21 new deaths reported Tuesday.

He provided details of the 30 deaths reported on Monday. They are:

A 64-year-old man from Clackamas County who tested positive on August 29, 2021 and died on August 27, 2021 at his home. He had underlying conditions.
A 60-year-old woman from Washington County who tested positive on September 1, 2021 and died on December 27, 2021 at Providence Portland Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
An 83-year-old woman from Lane County who tested positive on October 7, 2021 and died on January 1 at her home. She had underlying conditions.
A 41-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive on November 16, 2021 and died on December 24, 2021 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
A 90-year-old Clackamas County man who tested positive on December 29, 2021 and died on January 8 at Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
A 67-year-old Benton County woman who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Feb. 4 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 77-year-old Yamhill County man who tested positive Jan. 30 and died Feb. 4 at his home. He had underlying conditions.
A 66-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive Jan. 29 and died Feb. 4 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 76-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Feb. 3 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 75-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Jan. 28 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 61-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive Jan. 17 and died Feb. 4 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 75-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive Jan. 16 and died Jan. 29 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 52-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive Jan. 13 and died Feb. 3 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 73-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive Jan. 12 and died Feb. 5 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 95-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive Jan. 9 and died Feb. 3 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 58-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive Jan. 3 and died Feb. 2 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 77-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive Jan. 24 and died Feb. 5 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions.
A 71-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Jan. 11 and died Feb. 2 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.
A 52-year-old Lane County woman who tested positive Feb. 2 and died Feb. 3 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in RiverBend. She had underlying conditions.
An 83-year-old Lane County man who tested positive Jan. 31 and died Feb. 3 at his home. He had underlying conditions.
A 63-year-old Lane County man who tested positive Jan. 18 and died Feb. 1 at his home. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 71-year-old Klamath County woman who tested positive Jan. 24 and died Feb. 3 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
An 81-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive Feb. 1 and died Feb. 4 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
A 75-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Jan. 23 and died Feb. 3 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
A 74-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Jan. 16 and died Feb. 3 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
A 68-year-old Douglas County man who tested positive Jan. 29 and died Feb. 3 at Mercy Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 72-year-old Douglas County man who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Feb. 3 at Mercy Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 79-year-old Douglas County woman who tested positive Jan. 13 and died Feb. 5 at Mercy Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
An 85-year-old Deschutes County man who tested positive Jan. 27 and died Feb. 4 at his home. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 58-year-old man from Columbia County who tested positive September 3, 2021 and died September 19, 2021 at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center, Longview, Washington. The presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Marion County to halt COVID-19 contact tracing and case investigations

Marion County has ended investigations into COVID-19 cases, county officials announced Tuesday.

Instead, the county is encouraging residents to do their own contact tracing.

After:Is the long COVID a syndrome or a series of complications of the coronavirus?

“Contact people you were in close contact with from two days before your symptoms started. Call, email or text your loved ones as soon as possible. Timing matters. People are most infectious a day or two before they show symptoms, and some people never show symptoms. People can be contagious two to 14 days after exposure and should watch for symptoms,” county officials wrote in a news release.

“If you can reach your friends and family, you can help prevent the next person from getting sick with COVID-19. The sooner you notify your contacts, the sooner they can take action to stop the spread,” the county wrote.

County health officials will only provide technical assistance to schools, daycares, long-term care facilities and other gathering places facing outbreaks.

And they will no longer call or send letters to residents who test positive.

County spokesman Chad Ball said the decision was made in response to a change in guidance from the Oregon Health Authority.

The state no longer requires health departments to conduct universal case investigations and contract tracing. The guidelines say local health authorities should focus on investigating outbreaks and cases associated with high-risk people and high-consequence settings.

COVID-19 Patients at Salem Health

Number of coronavirus patients at Salem Health on Tuesday, February 8:

106: Total hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 52% unvaccinated.
14: COVID-19 patients in intensive care.
6: COVID-19 patients on a ventilator.

Latest COVID-19 by the Numbers Statewide

Here is the most recent data from the Oregon Health Authority, as of Tuesday, February 8:

6,265: People who died from COVID-19.
665,486: Total number of COVID-19 cases.
1,055: COVID-19 patients in hospitals.

Oregon COVID-19 cases by county

Here are the number of cases, tested positive and presumed, and deaths as of Tuesday, February 8

Baker: 3,064 cases, 43 deaths.
Benton: 13,949 cases, 56 deaths.
Clackamas: 56,932 cases, 491 deaths.
Clatsop: 4,311 cases, 38 deaths.
Colombia: 7,055 cases, 72 deaths.
Coos: 9,952 cases, 133 deaths.
Crook: 5,697 cases, 65 deaths.
Curry: 3,022 cases, 43 deaths.
Deschutes: 43,621 cases, 234 deaths.
Douglas: 18,560 cases, 344 deaths.
Gilliam: 271 cases, 4 deaths.
Subsidy: 1,519 cases, 18 deaths.
Harney: 1,510 cases, 36 deaths.
Hood River: 3,324 cases, 41 deaths.
Jackson: 40,030 cases, 445 deaths.
Jefferson: 6,874 cases, 73 deaths.
Josephine: 15,119 cases, 305 deaths.
Klamath: 13,359 cases, 183 deaths.
Lake: 1,303 cases, 23 deaths.
Lane: 53,223 cases, 428 deaths.
Lincoln: 6,486 cases, 65 deaths.
Linn: 24,653 cases, 222 deaths.
Misfortune: 7,977 cases, 100 deaths.
Marion: 65,821 cases, 605 deaths.
Tomorrow: 2,893 cases, 26 deaths.
Multnomah: 106,614 cases, 993 deaths.
Polk: 14,358 cases, 117 deaths.
Sherman: 297 cases, 3 deaths.
Tillamook: 3,423 cases, 56 deaths.
Umatilla: 21,739 cases, 196 deaths.
Union: 4,825 cases, 70 deaths.
Wallowa: 1,186 cases, 14 deaths.
Wasco: 4,827 cases, 53 deaths.
Washington: 80,626 cases, 483 deaths.
Wheeler: 217 cases, 3 deaths.
Yamhill: 16,849 cases, 184 deaths.

Source: Oregon Health Authority

Tracy Loew is a reporter for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779 or on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew.