March 13, 2020 4:45 a.m.
There are now 30 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Oregon.
A release from the Oregon Health Authority said 6 additional residents of the Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon have tested positive. The affected individuals include 1 man between ages 55 and 74, and 5 men age 75 and older. While their illnesses are considered linked to 2 earlier cases in the facility, the exact sources of their exposures are not known. All have been placed in isolation at the facility.
OHA Director Patrick Allen said the agency is working closely with the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs, the facility’s staff and Linn County Public Health to ensure the men get the best care and support.
The test results came after an Infection Control and Specimen Collection Strike Team from OHA deployed to the Veteran’s Home on Wednesday night.
Other cases announced include 1 in Clackamas County. The case is a man between ages 35 and 54 who was a close contact with a previous case. 2 new cases are in Washington County. They are both women older than 55 who had no known close contact with confirmed cases and are considered community-spread cases. Washington County now has 10 cases.
The release said people vulnerable to complications should follow federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to stay home as much as possible and avoid gatherings. It said as testing capacity increases, with LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics online, and clinical laboratories at some Oregon hospitals expected to begin testing by next week, officials expect the number of people who test positive with COVID-19 to rise.