PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Another 2056 new confirmed/presumptive cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Oregon in a 3-day period from Friday through Sunday, with another 5 people dying, the Oregon Health Authority said Monday.
Hospitalizations are also up over the weekend, from 312 on Friday to 340 on Monday, with 102 people in intensive care.
As a surge in COVID cases continues through the delta variant — almost completely from the unvaccinated — some hospitals like OHSU are postponing some surgeries that are not urgent but would require an overnight stay. Hospital officials are trying to keep beds available for emergency patients.
“In addition, this is the summer season and often there’s an increase in the number of people who have to be hospitalized due to traumas,” said Dr. Meg Cary, and adviser with the Oregon Health Authority.
Only about half of all Oregonians are vaccinated, which is why there’s a push for everyone to wear a mask indoors. There remains a slight chance you can still get COVID if you’re vaccinated and spread the virus to others — but the symptoms if you have been vaccinated are usually far less severe.
The state is looking at what could be 100 new hospitalizations every day in a few weeks, quickly getting to where Oregon was at the height of COVID hospitalizations in early December 2020.
That means it’s even more likely hospitals could divert emergency patients to other hospitals again.
Monday COVID report
In the 3-day window of July 30 through August 1, there were 2056 new COVID cases in 32 of Oregon’s 36 counties. The tri-county area has the most total cases: Multnomah 320, Clackamas 183, Washington 87.
That brings the total number of cases since the pandemic began to 221,799. The 5 deaths raise the total to 2863. The deaths occurred in people between the ages of 53 and 93 and officials said they all had underlying conditions.