March 11, 2020 4:20 a.m.
There are 15 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Oregon as of Tuesday.
Information from the Oregon Health Authority said the newest case is a resident of Multnomah County. Officials are working to identify and isolate any individuals who may have been in close contact with the person in the past 14 days.
The case is being treated at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The individual had no known contact with a confirmed case, and had not traveled from a country where the virus is circulating, so the case is being investigated as a community-acquired case.
Health officials are continuing to urge all Oregonians to take steps to protect those who are most vulnerable to complications due to COVID-19.
Those considered “high risk” include adults over age 60, or anyone with a serious health condition or a suppressed immune system. The OHA release said that people vulnerable to complications should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to stay home as much as possible and avoid gatherings.
The release said basic steps that should be taken by everyone include:
*Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
*Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
*Cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
*Stay home if feeling ill.
The COVID-19 virus spreads like the flu, when someone who is sick coughs or sneezes within six feet of another person. After someone contracts COVID-19, illness usually develops within 14 days. Symptoms mirror those of the flu, including fever, cough, runny nose, headache, sore throat and general feelings of illness. The OHA said that has made it more difficult for health officials to identify sick individuals and stop the virus from spreading.
As testing capacity increases, officials expect the number of people who test positive with COVID-19 to rise.
For updates, go to: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/pages/index.aspx