December 28, 2020 1:30 p.m. 

3 more people have received new positive test results for COVID-19 in Douglas County, as of Monday.

An update from the Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team said staff noticed a suspected anomaly with a large number of reported positive test results from a new out-of-state testing lab, with all the people being asymptomatic, so investigated further. County Public Health Officer Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer notified the Oregon Health Authority and then DCCRT performed its own investigation by contacting the lab directly to discuss their testing procedures and the abnormal test results and request that those samples be retested immediately. The update said the retesting showed that there had been a lab processing error.

With OHA’s blessing, 20 positive test results have been rescinded from the total case numbers. Anyone associated with those results has been released from isolation or quarantine.

The update said two more positive cases are being rescinded from the county totals. After investigation, it was determined that 2 people previously reported to have positive test results were not Douglas County residents, so their cases were moved to their respective counties.

The total number of cases is now listed at 1,344. Of those, 1,266 are people that have received positive test results and 78 are presumptive. There have been 37 deaths. 11 Douglas County COVID-19 cases are hospitalized, 9 locally and 2 outside the area. 103 people are in isolation. 221 people are in quarantine. That means the staff with the Douglas Public Health Network is supporting 324 people that are either in isolation or quarantine.

The next drive through testing clinic with DPHN will be Tuesday in Roseburg. Due to New Year’s Day, there will not be a drive through testing clinic on Friday of this week.

Go to www.douglaspublichealthnetwork.org for more local information on COVID-19.