Coronavirus in Oregon: Cases, hospitalizations and other data show continued decline in virus impact – OregonLive

Oregon saw continued declines in identified COVID-19 cases over the past week, with the daily average falling below 900 new cases.

While reported cases can be unreliable indicators of how widespread the virus is, other measures also indicate the current surges peak has passed.

Wastewater monitoring in about 40 Oregon communities shows infections may have peaked mid-July with general declines since then. The percentage of COVID-19 tests that come back positive has also fallen, with about one in 10 tests showing a coronavirus infection, compared to as many as 15 in 100 on certain days a month ago. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 fell from a peak of 464 occupied beds July 17 to 328 reported Wednesday.

But the fall is expected to bring a renewed uptick, an Oregon Health & Science University forecast shows. Per the Aug. 5 projections, Oregon could reach current hospitalization levels by around the end of the year.

And concerns about the virus are likely to grow as the school year starts at the end of the month, with no statewide masking mandates for schools. Districts have the freedom and power to enact whatever preventative measures they see fit, the state has said, with no interventions planned unless a particularly virulent and infectious strain of the virus appears again.

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Since it began: Oregon has reported 868,905 confirmed or presumed infections and 8,326 deaths.

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Hospitalizations: 328 people with confirmed coronavirus infections are hospitalized, down 43 since Wednesday, Aug. 10. That includes 38 people in intensive care, down 10 since Aug. 10.

Vaccinations: As of Aug. 15, the state has reported fully vaccinating 2,950,545 people (69.1% of the population), partially vaccinating 299,579 people (7%) and boosting 1,729,726(40.5%).

New deaths: Since Aug. 10, the Oregon Health Authority has reported 74 additional deaths connected to COVID-19.

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Coronavirus in Oregon: Cases, hospitalizations and other data show continued decline in virus impact - OregonLive