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Oregon health officials warn of consequences of Thanksgiving

Sara Cline | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 11 months AGO
by Sara Cline
| November 24, 2020 1:30 PM

Health officials in the Portland metro-area issued a final plea to Oregonians Tuesday asking them to celebrate Thanksgiving responsibly — at home and with no more than six people.

Following previous holidays, COVID-19 cases in Oregon have increased. Health officials say they are worried if that pattern continues hospitals will be overburdened and not able to assist everyone in a timely manner.

“The key take away today is to cancel or extremely dial back Thanksgiving plans,” said Jennifer Vines, the Multnomah County Health Officer. “An increase (in cases) two or three weeks from now would land us in an extremely difficult position.”

As COVID-19 cases increase in Oregon, officials' concerns about hospitals reaching capacity are also growing.

Currently there are 474 COVID-19 patients in Oregon hospitals — a 176% increase from the start of the month and 25% increase from last week.

Of the COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized, 113 are in intensive care units.

Ritu Sahni, the Washington County EMS Medical Director, warned if hospitalizations continue to increase emergency care and response could be delayed or even “in a very terrible situation, unavailable.”

“Our hospital systems are at the brink right now and a surge two weeks from now can quickly overwhelm them,” Sahni said.

The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,011 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total to 67,333.

In addition, there were 21 COVID-19 related deaths, a one-day record for the state. The total death toll is 847.

“We feel pain and sorrow for our neighbors who’ve lost their lives to COVID-19 and the families they leave behind," said Patrick Allen, the director of the Oregon Health Authority. "And each death we record is a reminder that COVID-19 is a life-threatening virus that’s easy to catch, a warning that more Oregonians will die if we don’t contain it and a call to action to stop its spread.”

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