Oregon has once again shattered its record of new daily coronavirus cases.
The Oregon Health Authority Saturday reported 988 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 in the state, as well as 13 new coronavirus-related deaths. The previous daily case record was set Thursday with 805 new known cases.
The state now has had a total of 49,587 known coronavirus cases and 729 deaths.
The bulk of the new cases Saturday continued to come from the Portland metro area, with 240 cases in Multnomah County, 133 in Washington County and 129 in Clackamas County.
This high number of new cases comes just one day after Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced a two-week “pause” on social gatherings for five counties. That pause includes increased restrictions for Multnomah, Marion, Malheur, Jackson and Umatilla counties starting Wednesday.
The restrictions include halting visitations at long-term care facilities, reducing the capacity at indoor public spaces to 50 people and urging businesses to mandate work-from-home as much as possible. The Oregon Health Authority is also urging Oregonians to only gather with their households, and if they do choose to spend time with people outside of their households to limit those gatherings to a maximum of six people.
Brown had also said five other counties – Washington, Baker, Clackamas, Union and Linn – may also be added to that pause list Monday depending on the cases they rack up over the weekend.
Clackamas County’s public health officer Saturday urged residents to take precautions such as canceling larger social gatherings, gathering indoors less often and continuing to wear face coverings.
“Clackamas County residents will find out Monday if we’re subject to these further restrictions,” Dr. Sarah Present said in a statement. “But there are things we can do now to keep our guard up — and keep our businesses open.”
Present noted that Oregon health officials stated in a press conference Friday that is not too late to reverse the tide on coronavirus cases.
“These measures are put in place to save lives and protect the health of Oregonians,” she said. “Don’t bring COVID home for the holidays.”