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 Friday evening:
- Oregon: 22 deaths, 899 cases, 17,434 tests (16,535 negative) Latest Oregon numbers
- Washington: 284 deaths, 6,966 cases, 82,599 tests (75,633 negative) Latest Washington numbers
- United States: 7,152 deaths, 277,953 cases Latest U.S. numbers
- World: 58,901 deaths, 1,099,389 cases Latest global numbers
REAL-TIME UPDATES
11:30 p.m.
- After weeks of school closures due to COVID-19, several students and teachers reunited Friday, from a distance. Teachers drove through the school’s neighborhoods where students and families lined the streets. Learn more
- If your driver's license expired on or after March 1, and you are unable to renew it, it will still be accepted as identification at checkpoints. Learn more
- Portland Timbers USL club has done online workouts together and they're constantly challenging each other on and off the pitch. Learn more
9:45 p.m.
- Many people in Oregon have asked how many people have recovered from COVID-19. The Oregon Health Authority isn’t tracking recovery figures because hospitals and county health departments don’t report them to the agency. Learn more
- Straight Talk this week featured two of Oregon's top leaders offering different perspectives on the coronavirus pandemic. Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury is leading the state's most populous county through the unprecedented health crisis. While Labor Commissioner, Val Hoyle, is helping employers and employees navigate the challenging new landscape. Hoyle, who lives in rural Lane County, outside Springfield, also spoke about the different viewpoint of the crisis for small town Oregon. Learn more
- The CDC and the White House are now recommending that we all wear cloth protective masks when we go out in public. Here's how you can make one at home. Learn more
- Right now Portland Public Schools is adapting, like every other district in the state of Oregon, to try to come up with a distance learning plan that will serve all students equally as well as keep them learning and engaged. Learn more
6 p.m.
- Experts have said it was only a matter of time until COVID-19 reached Oregon’s jails and prisons, and that came to a head this week. An employee at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem tested positive for the virus, as did two Marion County Jail staffers, and an inmate at the Santiam Correctional Institution. Inmates are now going to receive masks. Learn more
- Thirteen of the 16 people who tested positive for the coronavirus at Lebanon, Oregon, veterans' home have recovered, state officials said. Two people who became sick with COVID-19 died. One other case is still active. Learn more
- A gym in Happy Valley continues to charge members despite it being closed by Gov. Kate Brown's stay-home order. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said her office has received multiple consumer complaints about billing issues at various gyms. Learn more
- Portland city leaders signed a letter to the governor and others urging them to forgive all rent and mortgage payments due by people hurt under the pandemic. Landlords are pushing back against that idea, warning that forgiving rent would create a “cascading series of events threatening our basic economic structures.” Learn more
- A veterinary hospital at Oregon State University has come up with a way to help humans getting tested for coronavirus. Learn more
- Cheryl's on 12th is making and delivering food to health care workers at Portland's Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. They've also started a GoFundMe page where you can donate to the cause. Learn more
4:20 p.m.
- The CDC is now recommending people wear something to cover their face when in public, but not medical-grade masks because those are in short supply. Learn more
- Washington health officials announce 22 more deaths and 381 new coronavirus cases. There is now a total of 284 deaths and 6,966 cases in the state. Learn more
3:30 p.m.
- A Washington County patrol officer tested positive for COVID-19. Learn more.
2:25 p.m.
- The Oregon Health Authority reports another COVID-19 death and 73 more cases. The person who died was a 71-year-old man in Polk County who had underlying health conditions. There is now a total of 22 deaths and 899 cases in Oregon. Learn more
- The Department of Treasury will begin sending out $1,200 COVID-19 payments on April 13. According to U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Portland, the payments will be through direct deposit to your bank account with the information submitted with your last tax return. Learn more
2:00 p.m.
- TriMet will begin providing its operators with face coverings as an added precaution. Learn more.
12:30 p.m.
- 29 staff and residents tested positive for COVID-19 at a senior care facility. That number includes 14 residents and 15 employees at Laurelhurst Village in Southeast Portland have been confirmed for COVID-19. Learn more.
11:15 a.m.
- Clark County, Washington, reports 6 new cases of COVID-19 since Thursday. That brings the county's total number of cases to 137. Eight Clark County residents have died. Learn more
10:45 a.m.
- Alaska Airlines has partnered with the Providence hospital system to fly 210,000 masks to hospitals across the West. The mask materials were assembled by a Seattle-area furniture company and will be delivered to Providence hospitals throughout Alaska, California, New Mexico, Montana, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Learn more
10:15 a.m.
- The Department of Justice announces that it is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. State, local and tribal law enforcement agencies in Oregon are eligible to receive nearly $10 million in supplemental funding, which may be available within days. Learn more
7:00 a.m.
- KGW is partnering with Lines for Life to let people discuss their own anxieties and find resources to cope with the trauma of our current situation. If you have questions about your own mental health or the wellness of a loved one you can join a Reddit “Ask me Anything” chat Friday at 9 a.m. to get some answers. Learn More
- Marion County is Oregon's hot spot for the coronavirus outbreak Marion County has the highest infection rate, higher than Washington and Multnomah counties. Marion had one of the first confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, not community acquired, suggesting the virus had been spreading for weeks before the first case was detected. Learn More
RELATED: U.S. coronavirus live updates
RELATED: Washington coronavirus live updates
RELATED: Oregon coronavirus updates April 1