Oregon doesn't yet have any confirmed cases of the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus... but in case you want to keep up on the latest, the Oregon Health Authority is making it easier to track.
The Oregon Health Authority announced Monday that it will update its monitoring of COVID-19 cases (and potential cases) every Tuesday, through its Emerging Respiratory Infections web page. The data is presented in three categories: those who are asymptomatic but may have been exposed, those who are exhibiting symptoms and may have been exposed, and those who have been tested and cleared.
Those being watched have either recently traveled to mainland China or may have been exposed to a confirmed case.
As of Feb. 24, there had been 254 total Persons Under Monitoring in Oregon and 178 who have completed monitoring without exhibiting symptoms. This leaves 76 Oregonians still under close watch. So far, there have been two Persons Under Investigation who have both been cleared.
In an email correspondence with the Source, St. Charles Health Systems' Manager of Infection Prevention Audrey Gudmundsson stated, “There have been zero COVID-19 cases in Bend. At this time the risk is low. Central Oregonians should be more concerned about getting the flu, which is still highly active in our communities. Interestingly, the flu causes similar symptoms as COVID-19 in individuals of average health. More importantly, the best line of defense against contraction of COVID-19 or the flu is practicing frequent hand hygiene. Wash your hands often and keep your distance from those who are actively coughing and not practicing appropriate cough etiquette (coughing into the elbow).”