PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) – A new presumptive positive case of COVID-19 was reported by the Oregon Health Authority on Tuesday, the first for Multnomah County.
The new case brings the state’s total COVID-19 cases to 15 in seven counties.
According to OHA, the patient is being treated at Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The person had no known contact with a confirmed case and had not traveled from a country where the virus is spreading.
Due to those circumstances, the new case is being investigated as a community-acquired case, OHA said.
“I can only imagine the concern among the family and friends of this person,” said Jennifer Vines, M.D., lead health officer for the tri-county region. “I’m asking you, as my neighbors and as my community, to keep this individual and their loved ones in your thoughts. And let us all do what we can to minimize the number of other people who must go through this.”
The public affairs officer for the VA Portland Health Care System confirmed with FOX 12 that, yes, the patient is a veteran.
The breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Oregon is as follows:
- Multnomah County: 1
- Washington County: 8
- Marion County: 1
- Douglas County: 1
- Jackson County: 1
- Klamath County: 1
- Umatilla County: 1
OHA is urging Oregonians to take preventative measures for their health and the health of others in the wake of COVID-19, including:
- Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
- Staying home if you feel ill.
“We are not going to isolate and quarantine our way out of this pandemic,” Dr. Vines said. “We are working with our partners on mass gathering guidance, at schools, places where people gather and mix, to spread people out.
“We are not talking anymore about stopping the spread of this virus,” she said. “Without a vaccine and without medicine, our best bet as a community is to slow the spread so those who do get seriously ill can get the care they need from our health system.”
OHA said that the agency and Multnomah County are working to identify and isolate anyone who may have been in close contact with the patient in the last 14 days.
Copyright 2020 KPTV-KPDX Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
———
Website source
Related posts:
- Public health expert warns virus not going away – KSAT San Antonio
- Tesla asks employees to resume production at Fremont car plant despite coronavirus health orders – CNBC
- Major health groups and charities urge Trump to reverse World Health Organization funding decision – CNN
- Public health officials push back on May opening | TheHill – The Hill
- Analysis | The Health 202: Los Angeles is racing to discover the true coronavirus infection rate – The Washington Post
- Some Public Health Officials Not Releasing Coronavirus Hospitalizations : Shots – Health News – NPR
- Covid-19 health-care crisis could drive new developments in robotics, editorial says – The Washington Post
- Lost Your Health Insurance During the COVID-19 Crisis? Here Are Your Options – The Motley Fool
- El Paso virus cases jump to 35 as health leaders warn of increased risk of ‘community spread’ – KVIA El Paso