COVID-19 data suggest downward trend in Oregon

(SEPTEMBER 19, 2020) The Oregon Health Authority studies data about the coronavirus and COVID-19 in the state. The state agency released a new report yesterday. The report shows that the current rate of transmission is continuing a downward trend that began in July. That means that each person with the coronavirus is infecting less than one other person.

However, the report acknowledges that trends like this are very sensitive to small changes in transmission levels. The recent wildfires in Oregon, for example, have led to evacuations of an estimated 40,000 people and extremely hazardous air quality. Prior to that, the Labor Day holiday had led many people to gather to celebrate with fewer precautions, such as masks and social distancing. The availability of testing, too, has varied over time, affecting the number of positive cases identified. This, in turn, can affect the calculation of the transmission rate.

As of September 18, 521 people in Oregon have died from COVID-19. In the United States, the number of deaths is 197,116. The total number of people in Oregon who have tested positive for COVID-19 is now 30,342. In the United States, the number is 6,656,799.