Oregon’s count of coronavirus cases has grown by 277 new confirmed and presumptive cases, the Oregon Health Authority announced Saturday, one day after the highest recorded single-day total of new cases since the pandemic began. The state has now eclipsed 32,500 total cases.
Lane County, Oregon’s fourth most populous, had the most new cases of any county with 44. Multnomah County, the state’s largest, was second with 33.
Public health officials cautioned Friday that cases in the area of Eugene, Lane County’s largest city, were surging, in part because of college student get-togethers. The University of Oregon reported at last 37 students who live off-campus tested positive this week.
Where the new cases are by county: Baker (2), Benton (1), Clackamas (24), Columbia (3), Coos (4), Crook (1), Deschutes (16), Douglas (4), Hood River (3), Jackson (16), Jefferson (5), Josephine (1), Lane (44), Lincoln (3), Linn (12), Malheur (8), Marion (31), Multnomah (33), Polk (7), Umatilla (14), Union (3), Wallowa (2), Wasco (7), Washington (31), and Yamhill (2).
New fatalities: Oregon’s 543rd COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old woman in Marion County with unspecified underlying health conditions. She tested positive Aug. 15 and died Sept. 23 at Portland Adventist Medical Center.
Oregon’s 544th COVID-19 death is a 44-year-old woman in Malheur County. She tested positive Sept. 21 and died Sept. 25. Officials are still confirming her place of death and if she had underlying health conditions.
Oregon’s 545th COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old woman in Washington County with unspecified underlying health conditions. She tested positive Sept. 22 and died Sept. 24 in her residence.
Oregon’s 546th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old man in Marion County with unspecified underlying health conditions. He tested positive Aug.16 and died Sept. 24 at Salem Hospital.
Who’s in the hospital: The state reported 139 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections were currently in the hospital Friday, the same number as the previous day. Updated data was not released Saturday. Oregon remains well below its capacity, with hundreds of hospital beds and ventilators available.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 32,581 confirmed or presumed infections and 546 deaths, among the lowest totals in the nation. To date, 636,090 Oregonians have been tested.
Kale Williams of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.
— K. Rambo