PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In a report sent Wednesday, the Oregon Health Authority reported a sharp increase in the state’s weekly number of COVID-19 cases, snapping nine weeks of declining numbers.

According to OHA’s COVID Weekly Data Report, Oregon logged 42% more cases from March 28 through Sunday than it did for the previous week.

While hospitalizations continued to decline, the 1,988 newly reported cases marked a serious deviation from the previous two months that recorded steady declines of COVID numbers in Oregon, officials said.

Reported deaths from the disease increased significantly, too, but they are considered a “lagging indicator,” officials said, as they follow a surge in cases and epidemiologists take time to review death certificates. For the week ending on Sunday, Oregon recorded 140 COVID-related deaths, up 99 from the previous week.

Detailed information on each of the newly reported deaths was not immediately available.

However, state health officials said there was a 44% decline in hospitalizations from the previous week, noting 97 COVID-related hospital admittances from March 28 through Sunday.

The Oregon Health Authority is now scheduled to release COVID-19 data and outbreak reports once every two weeks on Wednesdays. On-demand information about COVID-19 cases in Oregon can be found on OHA’s website, and up-to-date vaccination data can be found here.