Politics & Government
Oregon COVID-19 Death Count 550 Higher Than Previously Reported
The Oregon Health Authority says a technical error led them to undercount by 550 the number of people whose deaths were related to COVID-19.
PORTLAND, OR — The Oregon Health Authority says that it was a computer error. Officials say that in the next few weeks they will be adding approximately 550 more COVID-19 related deaths to the state's total.
"We are taking steps to ensure that our reporting is comprehensive and transparent," OHA Director Patrick Allen said.
"We extend our condolences to everyone who has suffered a loss to COVID-19, and we deeply regret the pain this disclosure may cause."
Find out what's happening in Portlandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Live in Portland? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone.
Most of the deaths occurred between May and Sept. 2021.
Find out what's happening in Portlandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
OHA says that the problem occurred as they were shifting from doing tallying the records manually to having the process automated.
The current death toll is 4,235.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
