Oregon reported more than 9,700 new cases of COVID-19 from the holiday weekend on Monday and smashed a previous record for weekly coronavirus cases with an average of about 2,400 new cases per day as the omicron variant took hold statewide.
The Oregon Health Authority also reported that 18.2% of COVID-19 tests administered over the long weekend were positive for the virus, the highest positivity rate seen in the state so far.
Hospitalizations, however, hovered at 498 people, less than half the number at the previous peak.
Eleven deaths were announced Monday. There are 60 adult intensive care unit beds available statewide.
Oregon Health & Science University has projected that a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations driven by the new variant will peak on Jan. 31 with roughly 1,650 patients statewide.
