PORTLAND, Oregon — Twelve OHSU Hospital staff have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the hospital’s president.
As of Sunday, the 12 were out of 846 nurses, doctors and other staff who were tested, President Danny Jacobs said Monday during a press conference thrown by health care unions to emphasize the shortage of of the masks, gloves, gowns and other safety equipment needed to protect them from contracting the virus.
The number reflects the risks doctors, nurses and other clinicians are taking in treating patients with the highly infectious virus, Jacobs said. The number also illustrates the importance of adequate personal protective equipment.
“People are our priority,” Jacobs said. “Our workforce deserves more.”
OHSU Hospital has ramped up its in-housing coronavirus testing in the last two weeks, which could account for part of the spike.
Employees at OHSU Hospital have been able to access drive-through testing if they had symptoms of coronavirus. Weeks ago, a hospital spokeswoman said leaders hoped to expand that capacity.
This article was originally published by the Oregonian/OregonLive, one of more than a dozen news organizations throughout the state sharing their coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak to help inform Oregonians about this evolving health issue.