The Oregon Health Authority announced one more death and 76 new positive cases in Oregon on Saturday.
This additional death brings the death toll to 87 and the total number of positive cases is now at 2,253. A total of 47,377 people have been tested for the virus in the state.
Oregon's 87th COVID-19 death is a 59-year-old man in Lane County, who tested positive on April 14 and died on April 23 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield. He had underlying medical conditions.
Currently, there are 261 people with, or suspected to have, COVID-19 in Oregon hospitals. Sixty of those people are in ICU beds and 29 of those people are on ventilators.
In the past 24 hours, OHA said in an update, it has received 430,000 surgical masks, 200,000 N95 masks and 10,000 face shields.
As OHA has reported in the past, COVID-like visits are on the decline and still make up only a small portion of all emergency room visits. This information indicates that social distancing measures put in place in the state are working.
On Friday, Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s state health officer, said social distancing has prevented an estimated 70,000 people in Oregon from being infected with COVID-19, a new model shows.
“That’s thanks to the actions people have taken to stay home and save lives. The sacrifices we’re making are really making a difference in decreasing the spread of COVID-19 here in Oregon,” Sidelinger said.
And at least one model shows that Oregon may be able to begin rolling back social distancing measures by May 25.
But officials have said that the easing of restrictions will be gradual to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 cases. The first of the measures to be relaxed happened on Thursday. Gov. Kate Brown called for lifting the ban on elective medical procedures beginning May 1.
The CDC is still recommending people wear face masks or coverings if they go out in public and to practice social distancing.