Cases Tick Up, Hospitalizations Remain Flat at 36

As of 12:00 pm today, Monday, October 18, 2021, there are SIXTY-ONE (61) people with new positive test results to report bringing the total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 11,939*. Currently, there are THIRTY-SIX (36) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, twenty-two locally and fourteen out-of-the-area, including one that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 4 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 4 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 12% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized patients today, TWENTY-NINE (29) of the 36 patients are not fully vaccinated. On Saturday, October 16, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had THIRTY-TWO (32) people with new positive test results, FOUR (4) new presumptives and ONE (1) new COVID-19 related death to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 11,849*. We had THIRTY-SIX (36)Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, twenty-three locally and thirteen out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. Due to the decrease in cases, Mercy is able to take a step back from their weekend reporting for COVID-19 patients being hospitalized locally, so we will not be reporting weekend statistics. Of our hospitalized cases on Saturday, October 16, 2021, THIRTY-THREE (33) of the 36 patients were not fully vaccinated. On Sunday, October 17, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had TWENTY-EIGHT (28) people with new positive test results and ONE (1) new presumptive to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 11,878*. We had THIRTY-SIX (36)Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, twenty-three locally and thirteen out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. Due to the decrease in cases, Mercy is able to take a step back from their weekend reporting for COVID-19 patients being hospitalized locally, so we will not be reporting weekend statistics. Of our hospitalized cases on Sunday, October 17, 2021, THIRTY-THREE (33) of the 36 patients were not fully vaccinated. COVID-19 RELATED DEATH OF A DOUGLAS COUNTY RESIDENT Douglas County Public Health has confirmed the death of one more Douglas County resident related to the COVID-19 virus. Our two hundred and forty-second COVID-19 related death was an 81-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 and passed away on Friday, October 15, 2021. She was partially vaccinated. In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of this resident, and as our ethical responsibility to follow all medical laws, no additional information will be released. We thoroughly scrutinize and investigate all deaths, and review all medical records to make sure that everyone we report has met the requirements for a COVID related death, as per the Oregon Disease Investigative Guidelines for COVID-19. Each death related to COVID-19 is painful for all Douglas County residents, and a sad reminder of the terrible impact COVID-19 has had in our local communities. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the DCCRT team extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all family members, friends, relatives, co-workers and community members of those who have passed after contracting this deadly virus.