August 17, 2021 2:00 p.m. 

Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the community, including the circulation of the highly contagious variants, CHI Mercy Health is temporarily restricting all visitor access, with some exceptions, at the hospital and at all their outpatient clinics, effective Wednesday.

A release said with the hospital near maximum capacity, daily increases in admissions of more COVID positive patients and with most Oregon hospitals also near maximum capacity, or full, Mercy is postponing all surgeries, starting on Thursday. This includes all endoscopy procedures, elective and non-elective surgeries. It does not apply to emergent surgeries such as C-sections, traumas, and appendectomies. Postponed surgeries will be reevaluated in two weeks.

The Oregon Surgery Center location will be turned into a medical and surgical unit location, so patients needing care that are not COVID-positive can be housed there.

Family BirthPlace patients may continue to have one support person, but no visitors at this time.