The number of identified coronavirus cases increased in Oregon for a fourth consecutive week, according to state data released Monday.
The 48% increase in weekly confirmed or presumed infections marked the second consecutive week with nearly 50% growth, pushing identified cases to their highest levels since late February.
But Oregon remains far below the case and hospitalization numbers seen during late 2020, summer 2021 and this year’s omicron surge. And the current rise in infections isn’t expected to have the kind of dire consequences as the delta and omicron waves did.
While the state’s numbers show an unequivocal rise in infections, the true scope of the spread of disease in Oregon is unclear, at least in part due to the success of at-home testing. Oregonians aren’t required to report the results of positive or negative at-home tests to authorities and, because such tests are popular and easily available, the state’s reported numbers are an undercount of infections.
But test positivity, a strong indicator of disease prevalence, hinted at the true state of infections in Oregon. At 8.3% of all tests coming back positive Sunday, the metric was higher than it has been since Feb. 21.
COVID-19 hospitalizations reported Monday climbed to 144, up from a post-omicron dip that earlier this month fell to 84 occupied beds, a level not seen since 2020.
The current hospitalization bump could peak at 314 June 8, according to an April 22 Oregon Health & Science University forecast. About half of those would be incidental cases of the illness, with patients hospitalized to be treated primarily for other conditions.
Although that estimate is about 100 occupied beds higher than the university’s forecast two weeks earlier, it is still nearly four times lower than the peak hospitalizations reached during the delta wave.
Fueled by the highly contagious BA.2 omicron subvariant, coronavirus cases are rising nationally, with Oregon recording some of the largest percentage gains, according to The New York Times.
While acknowledging the various metrics that indicate COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, Oregon health officials have reiterated that the emergency phase of the pandemic has passed.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 716,414 confirmed or presumed infections and 7,485 deaths.
Where the newest cases are by county: Baker (4), Benton (207), Clackamas (512), Clatsop (31), Columbia (68), Coos (21), Crook (19), Curry (6), Deschutes (284), Douglas (31), Gilliam (1), Hood River (25), Jackson (159), Jefferson (7), Josephine (44), Klamath (28), Lake (8), Lane (380), Lincoln (23), Linn (163), Malheur (1), Marion (265), Morrow (6), Multnomah (1,804), Polk (91), Sherman (1), Tillamook (22), Umatilla (30), Union (3), Wallowa (6), Wasco (12), Washington (987), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (64).
Hospitalizations: 144 people with confirmed coronavirus infections are hospitalized, up 44 since Monday, April 18. That includes 15 people in intensive care, down one since April 18.
Vaccinations: As of April 18, the state has reported fully vaccinating 2,895,723 people (67.8% of the population), partially vaccinating 289,462 people (6.8%) and boosting 1,603,269 (37.6%).
New deaths: Since April 18, the Oregon Health Authority has reported 30 additional deaths connected to COVID-19.
— Fedor Zarkhin