Oregon COVID-19 Hospitalizations Continue Drop, ICU Patients Rise

PORTLAND, OR — On Friday, Oregon Health Sciences University will release its latest forecast on where things stand with the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials tell Patch that while the omicron-driven surge that has taken over life in Oregon is on a downward slide, the pandemic is not over.

On Thursday, the Oregon Health Authority said that 1,007 people woke up that morning in hospitals across the state, 172 of them were in intensive care units.

There were four more patients in ICUs, a slight bump while the total hospitalizations continued its decline, with 35 fewer patients.

Meanwhile, 3,127 new cases were reported on Wednesday and the deaths of 22 more Oregonians were recorded.

OHA also released information on breakthrough cases, stating that of the 29,411 new cases reported during the week ending February 5, 51.1 percent – or 15,020 cases – occurred in unvaccinated people.

Since the pandemic started, there have been 145,313 breakthrough cases. Of them, only 2.6 percent have been hospitalized and only 0.6 percent have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died is 81-years-old.

Of the 3,127 new cases that were reported on Wednesday, they wee in 32 of the state's 36 counties.

Here's the county by county breakdown.

Baker (16), Benton (92), Clackamas (213), Clatsop (27), Columbia (61), Coos (42), Crook (37), Curry (28), Deschutes (173), Douglas (106), Harney (6), Hood River (10), Jackson (205), Jefferson (33), Josephine (97), Klamath (49), Lake (4), Lane (270), Lincoln (44), Linn (193), Malheur (18), Marion (299), Morrow (4), Multnomah (432), Polk (82), Tillamook (21), Umatilla (63), Union (20), Wallowa (6), Wasco (29), Washington (419) and Yamhill (77)

On Friday at 11 a.m., OHA will hold a briefing about the latest numbers and actions being taken by the state.

State health officer and epidemiologist, Dr, Dean Sidelinger will be joined by Peter Graven who directs OHSU's Office of Advanced Analytics, and Colt Gill, the director of the Oregon Department of Eduction.

You can watch the briefing here.