PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The coronavirus outbreak, now considered a worldwide pandemic, has spread throughout Oregon with the confirmation of six new cases in four previously unaffected counties.
Four of the new cases were announced early Wednesday afternoon. The Oregon Health Authority said the cases are in Polk, Marion and Deschutes. Another case in Umatilla County is someone in close contact with the county’s previously reported case.
Later on Wednesday, OHA announced two new cases in Linn County. Officials said the cases were both men in their 80s living at Edwards C. Allworth Veterans’ Home in Lebanon. Residents there are in isolation and are receiving treatment. An Infection Control and Specimen Collection Strike Team is expected to test all of the residents and staff members at the facility on Thursday morning.
“We’re very concerned about these two cases — we’re very concerned about every case of COVID-19 that is identified as a presumptive-positive in Oregon,” said OHA Communications Director Robb Cowie. “But these two are of particular concern because of the population they affect and the location of these two cases at a veterans’ home — facility for older adults.”
OHA described all of the cases announced Wednesday as being community-spread.
This brings the total number of presumptive positive cases in the state to 21, spread across eight counties. No deaths connected to the infection in Oregon have been reported at this time.
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Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is expected to speak about the coronavirus crisis on a state level Thursday morning at 11 a.m.
WHO officials declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic earlier Wednesday as more than 1,200 cases in America alone were confirmed. More than 30 Americans have died. President Donald Trump addressed the crisis in a Wednesday night speech from the Oval Office.