Sadly, we are reporting that five Wasco County residents and one Gilliam County resident have died since Aug. 4 from COVID-19. That brings the total deaths in Wasco County to 36 and in Gilliam County to two.
In Wasco County, the residents died between Aug. 4 and Aug. 11. All had chronic health conditions. The Gilliam County resident died on Aug. 7 and also had underlying health conditions.
The Wasco County residents lived at Columbia Basin Care in The Dalles, which is experiencing an outbreak that started July 14. Thus far, 20 residents have been infected, 16 of whom are vaccinated. Four of the five who passed away were vaccinated. Of staff at Columbia Basin, 13 tested positive, and five were vaccinated.
Oregon’s vaccine breakthrough cases report for July showed that the majority of breakthrough deaths have occurred in the elderly, with a median age of 83. The majority of cases are still occurring in the unvaccinated. In July, 81 percent of all cases were unvaccinated.
Vaccine breakthroughs remain uncommon. While the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are all highly effective at preventing severe COVID-19 illness and death, no vaccine is 100 percent effective.
Jasen Tennison, executive director of Columbia Basin, said, “We are reaching out to the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Human Services to ask about a support team for staffing because even though we are working with multiple staffing agencies we could use more help.
“We are following all the CDC and OHA guidelines while doing everything possible to mitigate the spread and keep the residents and staff safe. This is a challenge because we have gone this long with only minimal issues created by the pandemic. Now we are in the gauntlet of navigating through the challenges of an outbreak, but I
am confident we will get through this because we have a strong dedicated team that truly cares about the residents, and the rest of their team. We are coordinated with DHS, North Central Public Health District and OHA to ensure that we get through this as safe and fast as possible. On behalf of my team and myself I thank everyone for their support of Columbia Basin Care facility.”
The highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 has spurred record cases and hospitalizations in Oregon.
Mid-Columbia Medical Center had a record seven people hospitalized with COVID earlier this week. Between MCMC and Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital, just two of 10 staffed ICU beds are available as of Thursday. Of the 37 staffed non-ICU beds between the two hospitals, just 7 are available.
In response to the record hospitalizations and cases, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday all state executive branch employees must be vaccinated, and statewide indoor mask requirements are being reinstated Friday, Aug. 13.
Hospitalized COVID patients statewide are overwhelmingly unvaccinated, and Wednesday’s record 670 hospitalized Oregonians is far above the previous high of 528 set in the winter surge.
Vaccines remain the best tool to end the pandemic. To book a vaccine and get a $50 gift card (for Wasco County residents getting first dose), call NCPHD at 541-506-2600.
All local pharmacies also offer the vaccine on a walk-in basis. One Community Health and Mid-Columbia Medical Center are offering them to their patients.
(For more information, please visit COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon, contact North Central Public Health District at (541) 506-2600, visit us on the web at www.ncphd.org or find us on Facebook.)