The news moves pretty fast and cases of the coronavirus continue to rise in Oregon. The Daily Emerald summarized the top COVID-19 news. See what you might have missed:
New Cases
Since Jan. 29, the Oregon Health Authority reported 4,645 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases and 68 new deaths in its daily reports. Monday, Feb. 1, had the largest numbers of the week with 964 cases and one death. OHA reported a 16% increase in cases during the week of Monday, Jan. 25, to Sunday, Jan. 31, from the previous week, along with increases in hospitalizations and percentage of positive tests. Deaths increased only slightly, from 74 to 76.
The total number of cases in Lane County has risen to 9,429 and 114 deaths, according to Lane County Public Health. There are 21 people currently hospitalized as of Thursday evening.
The University of Oregon has seen 137 new cases since Jan. 29, composed of 71 off-campus students, 62 on-campus students and four employees, according to the university’s COVID-19 website.
Vaccine Updates
Oregon had administered 378,000 first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Wednesday, with those in the 40-49 age group receiving the most vaccinations.
Following an order by state Public Health Director Rachael Banks, the state of Oregon now requires insurers to cover the costs of COVID-19 vaccinations.
“We are in the midst of a devastating pandemic that has affected more than 142,000 people in Oregon and claimed almost 2,000 lives,” Banks said. “There should be no financial barrier to getting the vaccine, whether it’s a copay or administrative fee. Even small costs can be a big burden for people with limited resources, particularly considering the economic challenges people have faced for the last year.”
A federal judge ordered the state to begin vaccinating Oregon inmates on Tuesday after a group of prison inmates brought a case claiming that the state’s response to the pandemic in prisons is unconstitutional, OPB reported.
Daily Emerald reporter Cole Sinanian wrote about the COVID-19 vaccination registration for all Lane County residents this week. Registration is accessible by phone and online via a link on the LCPH website. At the time of publication, the site remains down after it crashed soon after it went live due to high traffic.