New case rate has slowed

The rate of new COVID-19 cases has dipped in Oregon, although health officials say it’s still too soon to consider relaxing the restrictions that have helped to slow transmission.

The state Health Authority on Thursday announced 73 new cases, bringing the state’s total to 1,736. One is in Yamhill County, which now has 33. The state also announced another six deaths from the virus, bringing the toll to 64.

Gov. Kate Brown said this week that she won’t lift her order directing Oregonians to stay at home except for essential trips until she sees a decline in cases, greatly increased testing capacity, a robust system for tracking new cases and exposures to the virus, quarantining anyone who may be infected, and an adequate supply of gowns, masks and gloves for all health workers.

“It’s not going to be easy, and it will take longer than we want,” Brown said.

However, she said, it’s important to get all the necessary steps in place.

“We have to be cautious, or it may backfire,” Brown said. “We all want to get back to work and return to normal as quickly as possible, but we know that the best path forward is a cautious one.”

She noted there is still no effective treatment for the disease, and no vaccine.

In Yamhill County, Providence Newberg Hospital has now set up a drive-through clinic for testing for COVID-19. Spokesman Mike Antrim said the clinic is testing about 18 people daily.

Brown is working with two other West Coast governors, Jay Inslee of Washington and Gavin Newsom of California, to coordinate the states’ responses and reopening strategies, to try to ensure that the virus doesn’t spread across state lines.

Brown said it is also important to include low-income Oregonians in efforts to re-open the state, and revive the economy.

“After the last Great Recession, the recovery was really uneven. Certain communities benefitted and many others, including rural communities in eastern Oregon and communities of color, did not,” she said.

The state also published a list of symptoms Oregon health officials have noted accompanying the disease, and the percent of patients who have experienced them.

By far the most common are coughing, at 66.1%, and fever, at 50.1%.

Those were followed by:

n Shortness of breath, 42.3%

n Muscle aches, 41.7%

n Headache, 38.6%

n Chills, 38.5%

n Sore throat, 31.6%

n Runny nose, 25.8%

n Nausea 25% and

n Diarrhea, 24.7%.

Some patients have reported a loss of smell as a symptom. According to the state, about 16.6% of patients have reported that as a symptom. It said 17.7% of patients have developed pneumonia.