x
Breaking News
More () »

Oregon COVID-19 updates June 17: Multnomah County to enter Phase 1 reopening Friday

As COVID-19 continues to impact Oregon and Southwest Washington, get the latest updates here.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Cases of COVID-19 began popping up in the United States in January. The first case in Oregon was reported on Feb. 28.

We've been posting a weekday blog to track the daily changes in Oregon and Southwest Washington as we get them. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST UPDATES

BY THE NUMBERS

As of Wednesday evening:

REAL-TIME UPDATES

11:20 p.m.

  • Businesses in Portland react to entering Phase 1 of reopening on Fri., June 19. Learn more

5:30 p.m.

The state of Washington had to adjust its numbers after realizing a reporting error which stated their death toll higher than it actually was. Learn more

5 p.m.

  • The wait is over for those in Multnomah County waiting to start reopening. On Wednesday afternoon, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced the county could enter Phase 1 of the state’s reopening plan on Friday, June 19. Learn more
  • Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday that face coverings will be required while in indoor public spaces in several counties across Oregon. The counties included are Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Hood River, Marion, Polk and Lincoln. This will go into effect on June 24. Learn more
  • Three more Oregon counties, Hood River, Marion and Polk, were approved Wednesday by Gov. Kate Brown to enter Phase 2 of reopening on Friday, June 19. Learn more
  • Gov. Brown said she will be grouping several counties together as regional units for future reopening decisions, including the tri-county area of Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. All three counties will remain in Phase 1 for at least 21 days after June 19, despite Washington and Clackamas counties reopening before Multnomah. Learn more
  •  The Union County Board of Commissioners have voted to voluntarily bring the county back to Phase 1 of reopening following an outbreak linked to Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church and a subsequent rise in COVID-19 cases. Learn more

2 p.m.

  • Oregon health officials reported one new death and 122 new cases of COVID-19 in the state. While it’s the lowest case count so far this week, it’s still one of the highest daily totals in Oregon during the pandemic. Learn more

11 a.m.

  • Multnomah County remains the only county in the state yet to enter a phase of reopening. Today, Multnomah County health officials will discuss the Phase 1 reopening delay and what lies ahead. KGW plans to live stream the media availability, scheduled for 3 p.m., on kgw.com, the KGW News app and our social media channels (YouTube, Facebook and Twitter). Learn more

7 a.m.

  • The rise in COVID-19 cases after so many states flattened the curve has people wondering if this is a second wave of the virus. Dr. Bukhosi Dube, a senior health advisor, said a second wave implies the first wave nearly disappeared and reappeared. And that's not what we're seeing. Learn more
  • Since the pandemic started, local children's advocates and law enforcement say mandatory child abuse reports have decreased. Learn more
  • As some parts of the country consider using apps to help with COVID-19 contact tracing efforts, Oregon's Attorney General is sending a strong message to Google and Apple to protect people's private information. Learn more

Interactive: Oregon COVID-19 Cases (Updated Tuesday afternoon)

RELATED: US airlines limit alcohol, food services on flights to limit COVID-19 spread

RELATED: Donations to fight virus, injustice could sustain charities

RELATED: VERIFY: Is this rise in coronavirus cases a second wave?

RELATED: Outbreak in Eastern Oregon’s Union County leads to 218 COVID-19 cases reported in two days

Before You Leave, Check This Out