PORTLAND, Ore. — Cases of COVID-19, a new strain of coronavirus, began popping up in the United States in January. On Feb. 28, the first case in Oregon was announced.
We will post a new blog every day that tracks the daily changes in Oregon and Southwest Washington as we get them. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST UPDATES
BY THE NUMBERS
As of Tuesday evening:
- Oregon: 33 deaths, 1,181 cases, 23,007 tests (21,826 negative) Latest Oregon numbers
- Washington: 394 deaths, 8,682 cases, 87,818 tests (79,136 negative) Latest Washington numbers
- United States: 12,895 deaths, 398,809 cases Latest U.S. numbers
- World: 82,119 deaths, 1,430,141 cases Latest global numbers
REAL-TIME UPDATES
11:20 p.m.
- A doctor with ties to Oregon is working in New York, the U.S. epicenter for COVID-19. He explains what it is like to work in hospitals overrun with patients. Learn more.
- How much better will our air be because of stay-home order? New data shows reduction in traffic is impacting our air quality. Learn more
9:10 p.m.
- Addressing the health crisis is first and foremost, but you cannot help but wonder what it means for our economy in the long run. A lot of us hope the economy will recover quickly once the stay-home orders are lifted and businesses reopen, but economists say it could take up to a year to get back to where we were before this. Learn more
- Freeway volume has been halved, backups are rare and the phrase "late to work" - for those fortunate enough to work - probably takes on new meaning right now. On an average day, 137,000 cars and trucks would cross the Interstate Bridge and 165,000 over the Glenn Jackson. Today, those numbers are less than half. Learn more
- Can pets get COVID-19? The risk of your pet getting the virus is extremely low and there is no risk of you getting it from them, according to a doctor of veterinary medicine. Learn more
6:45 p.m.
- Angela Primachenko, a pregnant mom and respiratory therapist from the Vancouver area, delivered a baby girl while battling COVID-19. Even more incredible, she delivered her baby while placed in a medically induced coma. Learn more
- Now that Washington has made the call to cancel in-person classes for the rest of the school year, hundreds of thousands of parents and kids are wondering if Oregon will do the same. Oregon’s top education official, Colt Gill, has refused to talk publicly about the state's plan. Learn more
- A Portland-area woman who exhibited many of the symptoms of COVID-19 tested negative for the virus. Despite the test, her doctor believe she has the coronavirus and the test could be a false negative. Experts nationwide confirm, on average, in 30% of COVID-19 cases, the test misses the virus, leaving a person with COVID-19 unaware that they have it. Learn more
- A ban on all visitors and contractors inside Oregon prisons last month due to coronavirus is leading to some inmates having their release dates pushed back by months. Learn more
- With more people laid off or working from home these days, the amount of drivers on freeways and roads has dropped dramatically. The open roads have become a sort of a race track for some, according to law enforcement. Read more
4:55 p.m.
- Federal investigators seized 100 coronavirus test kits being shipped from China to a Portland apartment complex, according to a federal search warrant. The coronavirus test kits were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and prohibited from entering the country. Learn more
- An inmate at the Clark County Jail has tested positive for the coronavirus, the sheriff’s office said. The inmate was released from jail on Monday but the test results came in Tuesday. Learn more
4:20 p.m.
- New numbers posted on the Oregon Health Authority's website show four more people have died from COVID-19. There has been a total of 33 deaths in Oregon so far. There is also 49 new coronavirus cases, bringing the state's total up to 1,181. Learn more
- Washington reports 22 more deaths and 298 new coronavirus cases. There is now a total of 394 deaths among the state's 8,682 cases. Learn more
- The ban on in-person dining at restaurants and bars in Oregon has been extended indefinitely, to align with the state’s stay-home order. As they have the last couple weeks, restaurants, bars and other businesses can continue to serve food for takeout and delivery. Learn more
2 p.m.
- Two people in Multnomah County who are homeless have tested positive for COVID-19. They're the first known cases among one of the county's most vulnerable populations. Learn more
- Oregon's forests are still open for logging and timber sales during the coronavirus pandemic. State and federal officials say forest products are "critical infrastructure." Learn more
- Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced several new programs to assist people and small businesses that have been hit economically by the coronavirus crisis. More information on the state programs is available at the state's coronavirus response page. Learn more
8 a.m.
- Updated modeling shows Oregon's surge of coronavirus patients could come sooner than previously anticipated, but also be less deadly. The new projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington estimates Oregon's peak could come in about two weeks. Learn more
- Cellphone location data shows most Oregonians are staying home. In Oregon, mobility (or the range people travel each day) has dropped 91% so far this year, compared to all of 2019, according to research by Cuebiq, a data intelligence firm. Learn more
- Washington students and parents shift focus as Gov. Jay Inslee cancels in-person classes for the rest of the school year. Learn more