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Rise in Multnomah County case numbers linked to small outbreaks, social gatherings, health officials say

State health officials on Monday reported 146 new COVID-19 cases in Oregon, along with two more deaths. Multnomah County saw 17 new cases.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Multnomah County health officials held a virtual news conference Monday to address the county's rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Jennifer Vines, the county health officer, and Communicable Disease Director Kim Toevs said they expected cases to rise in the county as more family and social gatherings began to happen, starting around Memorial Day.

“We expected people to start mixing more. As the virus finds its way into worksites and social networks, we know that the virus will spread,” Vines said.

Multnomah County's 17 new cases were about 12% of Monday's total in the state. On Sunday, the county saw 84 new cases, which was 44% of Oregon's total for the day.

"Prevention is going to be the key for the next several months," said Vines, pointing to social distancing, face coverings, and hand hygiene.

Toevs said the county is also seeing more small workplace outbreaks of fewer than five people. The food processing industry is consistently seeing COVID-19 cases.

Multnomah County, which is Oregon’s most populous, entered Phase 1 of the state’s reopening plan on Friday. Toevs and Vines both said it is too soon for recent case increases to be linked to reopening.

While the county's testing levels have increased week by week, Toevs said the higher case numbers are not due to increased testing alone.

"We have seen an increase in testing in the past couple weeks. At the same time we are seeing an increase in the level of positivity," she said. 

Friends and family members are most likely to spread the virus to others, Toevs said.

"It's human nature, I think, to expect that the people who might be more risky are to someone would be strangers, and that the people they would feel are more safe would be people that they know." Toevs said. "While you may be less likely to wear face coverings with [friends and family], those are the people more likely to infect you, because they're going to be closer to you ... and usually you'll be interacting with them for a longer period of time ... We have the expectation that case numbers will continue to rise."

Hospitalizations in Oregon remain at manageable levels, with enough beds and ventilators for people who need them. In Multnomah County, Vines said in the last month, between nine and 14 people were hospitalized each week with coronavirus.

"At least in the past month we've been OK, both in terms of hospitalizations and capacity," Vines said. "Having seen how the virus can spread very quickly and overwhelm health systems very quickly, it's something we're going to be paying very close attention to."

Toevs said the county's immigrant and refugee communities are seeing a higher case rate, but "there isn't any community that has a very low case rate."

Ongoing mass gatherings and protests in Portland remain low on the list of virus spreaders. Multnomah County said only a small handful of people connected to demonstrations have been sick.

Since the pandemic began, Multnomah County has seen 1,849 positive tests and 68 people die of COVID-19 as of Monday, according to the OHA.

To mitigate the spread of the virus it is mandatory to wear masks indoors in several counties including Multnomah, Washington, Hood River, Clackamas, Marion, Polk and Lincoln.

"It may feel uncomfortable to wear face coverings or masks as you are socially connecting with friends, but now would be the time to do that. Not just when you're in the grocery store," Toevs said.

RELATED: 190 new COVID-19 cases, one more death

RELATED: Oregon COVID-19 updates June 22: 190 new cases, including new high of 84 in Multnomah County

Interactive: COVID-19 cases by county in Oregon (updated Monday afternoon)

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