The Oregon Health Authority on Tuesday reported 1,203 new coronavirus cases and 54 deaths, equaling the highest fatality count announced on a single day since the start of the pandemic.
Thirty-two of those deaths occurred in 2020, state officials said late Tuesday.
December was already Oregon’s deadliest month of the pandemic, accounting for at least 483 deaths – nearly equal to all deaths from March, April, May, June, July and August combined. December’s tally appears poised to surpass that when officials disclose dates for the newest deaths announced Tuesday.
State officials said it took a while to identify some of the deaths reported Tuesday because of a lengthy confirmation process.
“The counting of deaths from death certificates may take time to process because they are determined by physicians and then sent to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further review before the cause of death is ultimately determined,” officials wrote in a news release. “Once this information is confirmed, the information is reported back with a final cause of death to states. This lagging indicator is now being captured today.”
State officials are not optimistic Oregon’s death count will improve immediately. Despite vaccination efforts, it’s still expected to take several months to inoculate the most vulnerable, including those living in congregate care, where more than half of all Oregonians with COVID-19 have died.
Tuesday’s death toll equals the 54 previously announced by the Oregon Health Authority on Dec. 15, although one of those deaths was later removed from the state’s official tally.
Among the latest deaths reported Tuesday were two people in their 30s and two centenarians.
Where the new cases are by county: Baker (8), Benton (16), Clackamas (98), Clatsop (11), Columbia (1), Coos (9), Crook (19), Curry (8), Deschutes (56), Douglas (21), Gilliam (1), Harney (3), Hood River (11), Jackson (61), Jefferson (19), Josephine (39), Klamath (46), Lake (3), Lane (89), Lincoln (6), Linn (24), Malheur (32), Marion (97), Morrow (4), Multnomah (265), Polk (10), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (53), Union (5), Wasco, (10), Washington (155) and Yamhill (21).
Deaths: State officials initially did not disclose detailed information about the 54 deaths, but eventually released that information late Tuesday. Each person had underlying health conditions or state officials were working to determine if the person had underlying medical conditions.
Oregon’s 1,614th COVID-19 fatality is a 75-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on Dec. 2 and died on Dec. 28 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.
Oregon’s 1,615th COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on Jan. 1 and died on Jan. 8 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.
Oregon’s 1,616th COVID-19 fatality is a 99-year-old woman in Deschutes County who tested positive on Jan. 4 and died on Jan. 9 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,617th COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died on Dec. 30 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,618th COVID-19 fatality is a 59-year-old man in Jefferson County who tested positive on Dec. 23 and died on Dec. 18 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,619th COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old woman in Jefferson County who tested positive on Dec. 30 and died on Jan. 2 at St. Charles Medical Center—Bend.
Oregon’s 1,620th COVID-19 fatality is an 88-year-old woman in Klamath County who tested positive on Dec. 22 and died on Jan. 4 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,621st COVID-19 death is a 69-year-old woman in Klamath County who tested positive on Dec. 17 and died on Dec. 26 at Sky Lakes Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,622nd COVID-19 fatality is a 79-year-old woman in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec. 18 and died on Dec. 26 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,623rd COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old woman in Klamath County who tested positive on Dec. 28 and died on Jan. 9 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,624th COVID-19 fatality is a 91-year-old woman in Klamath County who tested positive on Dec. 28 and died on Jan. 6 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,625th COVID-19 death is a 73-year-old woman in Lake County who tested positive on Nov. 16 and died on Dec. 22 at Lake District Hospital.
Oregon’s 1,626th COVID-19 fatality is an 89-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 11 and died on Jan. 5 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,627th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 18 and died on Jan. 5 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,628th COVID-19 fatality is a 96-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 26 and died on Jan. 5 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,629th COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old woman in Linn County who tested positive on Dec. 7 and died on Dec. 28 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,630th COVID-19 fatality is an 84-year-old man in Linn County who died on Dec. 29 at his residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death.
Oregon’s 1,631st COVID-19 fatality is an 86-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died on Dec. 23 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,632nd COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 4 and died on Dec. 23 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,633rd COVID-19 fatality is a 79-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 11 and died on Dec. 24 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,634th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died on Dec. 23 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,635th COVID-19 fatality is a 101-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 14 and died on Dec. 29 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,636th COVID-19 death is a 71-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 21 and died on Jan. 4 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,637th COVID-19 fatality is an 85-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 22 and died on Jan. 1 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,638th COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Jan. 2 and died on Jan. 2 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,639th COVID-19 fatality is a 59-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 18 and died on Dec. 27 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,640th COVID-19 death is a 73-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 9 and died on Jan. 1 at Adventist Hospital.
Oregon’s 1,641st COVID-19 fatality is a 65-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 22 and died on Dec. 22 at Adventist Hospital.
Oregon’s 1,642nd COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 18 and died on Jan. 2 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,643rd COVID-19 fatality is a 90-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 8 and died on Dec. 25 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,644th COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 22 and died on Dec. 22 at Adventist Hospital.
Oregon’s 1,645th COVID-19 fatality is an 80-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 9 and died on Jan. 4 at Oregon Health Science University.
Oregon’s 1,646th COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 6 and died on Dec. 25 at Providence Portland Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,647th COVID-19 fatality is a 33-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 1 and died on Dec. 30 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,648th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 23 and died on Jan. 3 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,649th COVID-19 fatality is a 55-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 13 and died on Dec. 30 at Hillsboro Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,650th COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old man in Polk County who tested positive on Dec. 29 and died on Jan. 5 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,651st COVID-19 fatality is a 63-year-old woman in Umatilla County who died on Dec. 27 at her residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death.
Oregon’s 1,652nd COVID-19 death is a 97-year-old woman in Wasco County who died on Dec. 30 at her residence. The death certificate listed COVID-19 as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death
Oregon’s 1,653rd COVID-19 fatality is an 88-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Dec. 23 and died on Jan. 5 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,654th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Dec. 10 and died on Jan. 2 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,655th COVID-19 fatality is an 88-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 16 and died on Dec. 29 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,656th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Yamhill County who tested positive on Dec. 18 and died on Jan. 4 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,657th COVID-19 fatality is a 63-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Dec. 20 and died on Dec. 23 at Willamette Valley Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,658th COVID-19 death is a 30-year-old woman in Josephine County who tested positive on Nov. 17 and died on Nov. 27 at Rogue Valley Medical Center
Oregon’s 1,659th COVID-19 fatality is a 72-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Nov. 14 and died on Jan. 2 at his residence.
Oregon’s 1,660th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old woman in Coos County who tested positive on Jan. 4 and died on Jan. 9 at her residence.
Oregon’s 1,661st COVID-19 fatality is an 85-year-old man in Columbia County who tested positive on Dec. 18 and died on Dec. 29 at Legacy Meridian Park.
Oregon’s 1,662nd COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Clatsop County who tested positive on Dec. 3 and died on Dec. 31 at Legacy Meridian Park.
Oregon’s 1,663rd COVID-19 fatality is an 86-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 28 and died on Dec. 29 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,664th COVID-19 death is a 49-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 13 and died on Jan. 4 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,665th COVID-19 fatality is a 65-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 26 and died on Dec. 30 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,666th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 12 and died on Dec. 30 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center.
Oregon’s 1,667th COVID-19 fatality is a 100-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 9 and died on Dec. 30 at his residence.
The prevalence of infections: The state reported 1,030 new positive tests out of 16,847 tests performed, equaling a 6.1% positivity rate.
Who got infected: New confirmed or presumed infections are among the following age groups: 0-9 (52); 10-19 (124); 20-29 (226); 30-39 (226); 40-49 (188); 50-59 (170); 60-69 (100); 70-79 (45); 80 and older (44).
Who’s in the hospital: The state reported 403 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections in the hospital Tuesday, down six from Monday. Of those, 93 were in intensive care units, up nine from Monday.
Vaccines administered: Oregon has administered 115,060 doses, up 10,465 since Monday (with 6,668 administered Monday and 3,797 administered earlier but not previously reported). State officials did not disclose an update on how many doses have been received.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 127,780 confirmed or presumed infections and 1,667 deaths, among the lowest case and death rates in the nation. To date, the state has reported 2,856,686 lab reports from tests.
— Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt