Oregon COVID-19 Cases Start to Skyrocket, as They Have Elsewhere in the Country

Today’s count of new COVID-19 cases surpassed the state’s one-day record, set only yesterday.

On Jan. 5, Oregon recorded 6,203 cases, 1,663 more than Jan. 4, according to Oregon Health Authority data.

That was just one of the notable data points to show that cases are starting to skyrocket here as they have elsewhere in the country. Experts attribute the increase in cases to the arrival of the highly contagious but less lethal Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Other notable data points: Today, more than 1 in 5 tests came back positive.

The week ending Sunday saw a 140% increase in new cases in Oregon, while positive tests climbed too. As of this week, 1 in 10 Oregonians have had a case of COVID-19.

Today’s number of cases for Multnomah County was 1,268. The county as of today ranks sixth among Oregon counties for average cases in the last seven days. That’s notable because cases counts remained relatively low in Multnomah County—as well as other high-vaccination counties—during the fall’s wave of cases. But now vaccination rates don’t correlate with case rates. A mix of counties have higher case counts per capita than Multnomah County; they are Deschutes, Gilliam, Jefferson, Benton and Washington counties.

The state is not closing down any businesses. But county officials told WW this week that Portlanders who spend time in public indoor or crowded outdoor settings should expect they have been exposed.

Fewer people are expected to die during the Omicron variant wave, though the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is expected to rise to previous heights. (A smaller percentage of those infected are expected to seek hospital care; a significantly greater number of people, however, will get COVID during this wave, according to projections.) There are now 97 documented cases of Omicron in Oregon.

State officials continue to push for those who have had vaccinations to get boosted.