The Oregon Health Authority on Friday reported one new death from the novel coronavirus as confirmed cases climbed to 2,579.
The agency said a 73-year-old Multnomah County man was the latest patient to succumb to the illness, bringing the statewide death toll to 104. The man had an underlying medical condition, health officials said, though they didn’t specify what that condition was.
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In addition, state health officials said 69 residents — from Benton (2), Clackamas (8), Clatsop (1), Coos (1), Douglas (1), Josephine (1), Klamath (1), Linn (1), Malheur (2), Marion (17), Morrow (2), Multnomah (13), Polk (3), Umatilla (7) and Washington (9) counties — tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours.
During that time, more than 2,100 new people received coronavirus test results, according to figures published on the health authority’s website. Just over 58,000 Oregonians have been tested for the illness since the state confirmed its first case on Feb. 28.
The latest figures came as Gov. Kate Brown and public health officials unveiled new details of the state’s plan to beef up testing and contact tracing as businesses look to reopen amid the pandemic.
Brown and other state officials said they are trying to balance the desire to restart the economy against the threat of more deaths, suggesting that risks can be managed by adding 600 people to perform public health investigations and ensuring 15,000 Oregonians can be tested for the virus each week.
Death toll: Health officials have reported 103 previous COVID-19 deaths in the state, including residents from Benton, Clackamas, Josephine, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington, Wasco and Yamhill and counties.
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Their ages ranged from 41 to 98. The average age is 78. All but one had an underlying medical condition at the time of their death, according to state health officials.
At least 57 of the state’s coronavirus deaths have been people associated with senior care homes in Oregon, according to state officials.
Underlying health conditions: A state review of Oregon’s coronavirus-related deaths published this week found the most common underlying medical conditions to include cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions, diabetes and lung disease.
County case numbers: There are now known coronavirus cases linked to 32 of Oregon’s 36 counties. The counties with the most reported infections are Multnomah (720), Marion (508), Washington (500) and Clackamas (222).
The four counties that have yet to document a single case — Baker, Gilliam, Lake and Wheeler — are all located in the central and eastern parts of the state and have a combined population of just under 27,000.
Ages: Of the state’s known cases, 1,262 people, or 49%, are under age 50, state figures show. Another 425, or 16%, are over 70.
Hospitalizations: At least 591 of the state’s COVID-19 patients, or 23%, have been hospitalized at some point during their illness, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Twenty-one of them are currently on ventilators.
Recoveries: At least 860 Oregonians who have tested positive for the virus — more than a third of the known cases — are no longer believed to be infected with the illness, the Oregon Health Authority said in a report published earlier this week.
The health authority said it considers a coronavirus patient recovered if they don’t display the symptoms of coughing, fever or shortness of breath for 72 hours. Those who are asymptomatic are considered recovered seven days after their last positive test.
Economic impact: More than 360,000 Oregonians lost their jobs during the first six weeks of the coronavirus outbreak, the state’s employment department reported this Thursday. That works out to nearly 18% of all Oregon jobs, more than 1 in 6 altogether.
Nationwide: Nationwide, almost 1.1 million Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 while the number of deaths neared 65,000, including at least 814 in Washington. At least 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., have reported 1,000 or more coronavirus cases.
MORE ON CORONAVIRUS:
Oregon releases new details of coronavirus testing, tracing, reopening plans
Thousands of new coronavirus cases could spring up if Oregon moves too fast to reopen, new modeling suggests
Top underlying medical condition for Oregonians who have died from coronavirus: heart disease
Coronavirus at a glance: The latest numbers, maps and headlines to keep you up to date.
Gov. Kate Brown’s road map to reopening Oregon
— Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632
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