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:
Lane County
COVID-19 cases in Lane County totaled 2,242 as of Thursday evening, of which 176 are actively infectious and 14 are hospitalized, according to Lane County Public Health data. The highest case rate in the age groups listed was among people aged 21 to 30 at over 24%, with the second-highest being 11 to 20 with just three fewer cases.
Three more people in Lane County have died from the coronavirus since last week, bringing the county’s total to 26 deaths, according to LCPH data.
On Oct. 16, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown added Lane County to Oregon’s County Watch List in response to rapidly growing COVID-19 cases.
University of Oregon
UO reported 79 new COVID-19 cases since Thursday, Oct. 15, bringing the total number of cases since June 1 to 479. All of the new cases were students, of whom 17 were living in the residence halls and are recovering in isolation, according to the UO’s dedicated COVID-19 website.
No UO employees tested positive this week, though there are procedures in place for employees who contract the virus. LCPH contacts and provides guidance for people who are known to have had contact with the employees, “and appropriate protocols for cleaning occupied spaces have been followed,” the site stated.
The university remains at a “high alert” level, meaning “increased cases, including spread in the community; available but stressed capacity in health care facilities,” according to the UO site.
UO also expanded its testing capacities, offering free COVID-19 tests to staff, faculty and BIPOC students on Thursday, Oct. 22 and Friday, Oct. 23.
From the Daily Emerald: Reporter Chloe Gold unpacked Lane County’s status on the County Watch List. Reporter Joanna Mann explored the lack of mandatory COVID-19 testing for UO staff, while reporter Jane Glazer explored how UO’s deaf community is adapting to the pandemic. Opinion columnist Andy Stevens described his own experience with COVID-19 and why people should still be wary. Reporter Mojo Hill delved into how UO baseball looks with coronavirus protocols, and reporter Carly Ebisuya wrote about women’s basketball amid the pandemic.
Statewide
The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,316 new COVID-19 cases and 27 deaths since Monday, Oct. 19, according to its daily reports.
The age group with the highest incidence of reported infections is still 20 to 29-year-olds, who account for 56% of reported cases, but 39% of Oregon’s population.