The Oregon Health Authority on Monday reported the state’s largest number of new coronavirus test results in a single day as the illness claimed one additional life and confirmed cases climbed to 2,354.
The agency said a 91-year-old Washington County woman was the latest patient to succumb to COVID-19, bringing the statewide death toll to 92. The woman had an underlying medical condition, health officials said, though they didn’t specify what the condition was.
In addition, state health officials said 43 residents — in Multnomah (12), Marion (11), Washington (9), Linn (5), Coos (2), Deschutes (2), Malheur (1) and Yamhill (1) counties — tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours.
During that time, over 2,200 new people received coronavirus test results, according to figures published on the health authority’s website. It is the first time test results in the state have surpassed 2,000 in a single day and is nearly 350 more that the previous high of 1,855, which occurred Saturday.
More than 51,000 Oregonians have been tested for the illness since the state confirmed its first case on Feb. 28. Despite expanding capacity, coronavirus testing in Oregon and other states continues to be a limited, creating a dramatic undercount of known coronavirus cases nationwide.
Medical experts also now believe that many infected people don’t show symptoms of the illness.
There are now known coronavirus cases linked to 31 of Oregon’s 36 counties. The five counties that have yet to document a single case — Baker, Gilliam, Harney, Lake and Wheeler — are all located in the central and eastern parts of the state and have a combined population of just under 34,000.
The five counties with the most reported COVID-19 infections are Multnomah (664), Washington (475), Marion (447), Clackamas (204) and Linn (79).
Of the state’s known cases, 1,124 people, or 48%, are under age 50, state figures show. Another 401, or 17%, are over 70.
At least 554 of the state’s COVID-19 patients, or 24%, have been hospitalized at some point during their illness, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Twenty-five of them are currently on ventilators.
Health officials have reported 90 previous COVID-19 deaths in the state, including residents from Benton, Clackamas, Josephine, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington, Wasco and Yamhill and counties.
Their ages ranged from 41 to 98. The average age is 77. All but one had an underlying medical condition at the time of their death, according to state health officials.
A recent study by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found hypertension, obesity, chronic lung disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease to be among the most common underlying conditions of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization.
At least 43 of the state’s coronavirus deaths have been people associated with senior care homes in Oregon, state officials said.
Nationwide, more than 978,000 Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 while the number of deaths surpassed 56,000 including at least 757 in Washington. At least 44 states as well as Washington, D.C., have reported 1,000 or more coronavirus cases.
MORE ON CORONAVIRUS:
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Gov. Brown’s road map to reopening Oregon
At least 595 coronavirus patients in Oregon now fully recovered, health officials say
Oregon Country Fair, iconic counterculture event, upended for first time in 50 years by coronavirus
— Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632
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Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh
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