HEALTH CARE

Covid weekly report for Jan. 27: Cases and hospitalizations decrease locally

Reports of new Covid cases decreased statewide as well as in Marion and Polk Counties this week.

In December, Gov. Kate Brown issued several executive orders intended to provide more resources to health care facilities amid a sustained surge of Covid, flu and RSV cases. 

HOSPITAL CAPACITY

As of Friday, Jan. 27, Salem Hospital had 14 inpatients with Covid. Of those, one was in the ICU and one was on a ventilator.

387 of the 415 adult acute and critical care beds were in use, or 93%.

453 total hospital beds were in use on Friday. The hospital recently expanded its licensed bed capacity from 494 to 644 with the addition of a new tower, but that total includes every potential licensed bed at Salem Hospital including those dedicated to specific uses, like pediatrics, inpatient psychiatry, and labor and delivery.

The daily number of hospitalized Covid patients has remained between 14 and 21 over the past week, according to Lisa Wood, Salem Health spokeswoman. Last week, the daily number was between 24 and 33. 

Region 2, which is Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties, had 26 people hospitalized with Covid as of Jan. 25, compared with 43 the week prior and 39 two weeks ago.

CASES

For the week ending Jan. 25, the average daily number of new Covid cases reported decreased statewide and in Marion and Polk Counties, compared to the week prior.

Marion County: 34.1 new Covid cases per day on average, a rate of 68.8 cases per 100,000 residents.

That’s down from 35.1 average daily cases last week and up from 32.3 two weeks ago.

10.2% of Covid tests this week were positive, down from 10.4% last week and up from 9.8% two weeks ago.

The Oregon Health Authority reported seven newly identified deaths of county residents with Covid in the past week.

Polk County: 8.1 new Covid cases per day on average, a rate of 64.1 cases per 100,000 residents. 

That’s down from 10.4 average daily cases last week and 9.6 two weeks ago.

11.7% of Covid tests this week were positive, down from 12.4% last week.

The Oregon Health Authority reported three newly identified deaths of a county resident with Covid in the past week.

Oregon: 290 new cases per day on average, down from 331 average daily cases last week and 347 two weeks ago; 7.6% of tests were positive, down from 7.7% last week.

VACCINATION AND BREAKTHROUGH CASES

The Oregon Health Authority has a data dashboard showing trends in cases, hospitalizations and deaths by vaccination status. 

The most recent data as of Dec. 25 shows Covid infection, hospitalization and death rates continue to be highest among Oregonians not vaccinated against Covid compared with those vaccinated as recommended, which includes a booster shot.

Hospitalization rates in December were six per 100,000 unvaccinated adults, compared with two per 100,000 vaccinated as recommended.

The data will next be published in mid-February.

Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-704-0355.

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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.