PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Health leaders are urging more people to get vaccinated to try and beat the rapid spread, especially of the COVID-19 variants as the Oregon Health Authority reported 928 new cases of COVID on Thursday.
The state total is now 183,830. One new death was reported as well, bringing the state’s death toll to 2,491.
Younger and what were healthier people are now hospitalized and in the ICU in our area from COVID. At this time, 339 Oregonians remain hospitalized due to the virus, with 71 of them in ICU beds.
At Providence St. Vincent and Portland Medical Center, 40% of their patients in the ICU in the past two months were under the age of 50.
“These are 40-50 year-olds, relatively young patients to be hospitalized, most with no underlying medical conditions, fighting for their lives,” said Dr. Christine Stock, an internist at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. “These are people with young children at home, breadwinners for their families. It’s heartbreaking.”
The state is averaging administering 35,429 COVID vaccine doses per day. Oregon has administered a total of 1,564,698 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,274,713 first and second doses of Moderna and 93,723 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
1,229,497 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series in Oregon.
Vaccine hesitancy is becoming an issue. Most people in Oregon are not fully vaccinated. Some people are concerned about side effects like fatigue, fever and arm pain. But getting COVID can be far worse, with weeks in the hospital or death for you or someone you unintentionally give it to.
One sign demand for vaccine is falling off came from OHSU on Thursday. Officials there sent word their clinics at the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland International Airport drive-up site are easier to get appointments now. Appointment openings are posted at 9 a.m.
Daily statistics
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (8), Clackamas (93), Clatsop (13), Columbia (9), Coos (3), Crook (10), Curry (3), Deschutes (125), Douglas (17), Harney (2), Hood River (5), Jackson (32), Jefferson (15), Josephine (23), Klamath (24), Lake (4), Lane (60), Lincoln (2), Linn (44), Malheur (3), Marion (81),Morrow (2), Multnomah (177), Polk (14), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (10), Union (5), Wallowa (3), Wasco (6), Washington (109) and Yamhill (17).
Oregon’s 2,491st death is an 88-year-old man from Josephine County who tested positive on April 9 and died on April 27 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.