Live updates: Oregon reports 192 new COVID-19 cases, no new deaths

By Courtney Sherwood (OPB) and AP (AP)
Aug. 17, 2020 1 p.m. Updated: Aug. 17, 2020 8:02 p.m.

The Oregon Health Authority reported 192 COVID-19 diagnoses Monday, bringing the state’s total confirmed or presumed cases of the coronavirus to more than 23,500 since the start of the pandemic.

A large share of new diagnoses were in the Portland metro area, with 57 in Multnomah County, 23 in Washington County and 12 in Clackamas County. Marion County reported 30 new cases.

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The state reported no new COVID-19-related deaths Monday, leaving Oregon’s death toll from the virus at 388.

On Friday, state officials reported an outbreak of 22 cases of COVID-19 at Columbia Basin Onion in Umatilla County. That case count includes all people linked to the outbreak, such as employees, their household members or other close contacts. An outbreak investigation began Aug. 1, the Oregon Health Authority said, but the initial case count at the time was below the threshold for public disclosure.

Washington reports 576 new COVID-19 cases

The Washington State Department of Health on Sunday reported 576 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths.

King County continues to have the highest numbers in Washington, with 17,623 cases and 694 deaths. Yakima County is second, with 10,625 cases and 221 deaths. Pierce is third with cases at 6,150.

The Olympian reports Pierce County reported 55 new cases and no new deaths on Saturday. Pierce County had a total of 132 deaths likely caused by COVID-19 as of Saturday, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are at 67,461 cases and 1,781 deaths, up from 66,885 cases and 1,766 deaths on Friday.

Thirty-seven people with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Washington hospitals on Aug. 8, the most recent date with complete data. Late March had two days with 88 people admitted, the highest numbers to date during the pandemic.

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The total number of tests conducted is temporarily unavailable, according to the DOH. On Aug. 8, 6,394 specimens were collected statewide, with 5.4% testing positive. The average positive test rate for the seven days prior was 7%.

The test numbers reflect only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which are given to patients while the virus is presumably still active in the body.

All counties in Washington have cases. Garfield and Wahkiakum have case counts of fewer than 10.

Oregon Health Plan enrollment is up 8.6% since start of pandemic

Enrollment in Oregon’s Medicaid health insurance plans has surged by more than 93,000 people since Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in response to COVID-19.

According to Oregon Health Authority figures, about 1.1 million people were enrolled in Oregon Health Plan coverage on March 8, when the governor declared an emergency. As of Aug. 10, enrollment in the plan is up 8.6%, to 1.2 million people.

In response to the state of emergency declaration and federal relief legislation, officials have made temporary policy changes aimed at helping existing Oregon Health Plan members maintain their coverage during the pandemic, and to simplify the process of enrolling for people who are newly eligible, according to a health authority website.

The Oregon Health Plan is the state- and Medicaid-funded program that covers health care for low- and no-income Oregonians through a number of separate insurance-like networks, most of which are run by nonprofits.

Clark County, Washington, reports one new coronavirus death

Another 38 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and one person – a man in his 70s with undetermined underlying conditions – has died, officials in Clark County, Washington, said Friday. The county public health agency said 2,219 Clark County residents have tested positive and 43 people have died since the start of the pandemic.

Statewide, Washington has confirmed 66,139 COVID-19 cases and 1,755 deaths, according to the latest available data.

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.

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