The Coronavirus Arrives in Oregon

Portland Ore – The Coronavirus has arrived in Oregon.

The Oregon Health Authority told state lawmakers earlier Friday that were NO cases of the virus in the state.

Since then, we’ve learned that an adult tested positive for coronavirus. The case still needs to be confirmed by federal health officials. The patient is at Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center.

It is a case of community-spread disease. The person is an employee of the Lake Oswego School District and works at Forest Hills Elementary School.  District officials have announced the school will be closed through March 4th.

The state would not disclose their age, sex or specific condition.

“Our first concern is for this individual, to make sure they’re being cared for and is able to recover,” said OHA Director Patrick Allen. “Our next priority is finding out who this individual had contact with and make sure they know about their risks, and to let them know how they can get care if they need it. We said this was a fast-moving situation, and we’ve proved that to be true.”

“We are awaiting confirmation of the test results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but at this time we are considering this a presumptive case,” said Dean Sidelinger, MD, MSed. “The person in now appropriate isolation and appropriate care.”

OHA officials continue to recommend people in Oregon take everyday precautions to prevent the spread of many respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 and influenza:

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are often touched.
• Take care of your health overall. Staying current on your vaccinations, including flu vaccine, eating well and exercising all help your body stay resilient.
• Consult CDC’s travel website for any travel advisories and steps to protect yourself if you plan to travel outside of the US.

For more information:

• For general information, call 211
• OHA Emerging Respiratory Disease page: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus
• CDC COVID-19 page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• CDC travel notice: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices
• WHO page: https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/novel-coronavirus