August 4, 2020 1:45 p.m.

2 people have received positive test results, and there are 4 presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Douglas County as of Tuesday.

An update from the Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team said the total number of cases is now at 140. Of those. 127 have had positive test results and 13 are presumptive. There has been 1 death. 1 person is currently hospitalized. 24 people are in isolation. 7,991 people have tested negative for COVID-19 in the county.

The update said the Oregon Health Authority will be reporting a workplace outbreak in Douglas County on Wednesday. An additional outbreak of COVID-19 cases has been linked to Mercy Medical Center. County Public Health Officer Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer and the staff at the Douglas Public Health Network has been working directly with Mercy and their employees since the first positive case result was returned. Ongoing epidemiology work including communications with contacts of positive cases is continuing to happen, according to the update.

Dannenhoffer said “we believe it is still safe to seek care at Mercy because they were prepared and they are supporting additional testing while also supporting their staff in quarantine”. He said DPHN and Mercy are working together on the situation.

Mercy President and CEO Kelly Morgan said the employee who tested positive was exposed on their time off and no patients were exposed due to PPE protocols. He said staff who tested positive are now in quarantine for two weeks. He said the hospital is following CDC guidelines and “we are dedicated to ensuring a safe and healing environment”.

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