A screenshot of Marion County’s COVID-19 data dashboard as of May 13, 2020.
Marion County residents continue to test positive for COVID-19 at a rapid pace, with the county seeing its largest one-day jump in cases over the weekend.
The spike is likely due in part to the rapid spread of the virus at the Oregon State Penitentiary, where 68 inmates have tested positive to date. That’s up from just 18 as of May 7, the Oregonian reported.
Increases in cases are expected as more people are tested, but Marion County has persistently had a greater percentage of tests come back positive for the virus.
Statewide, of the nearly 44,000 Oregonians tested for COVID-19, about 5% have been positive since the outbreak began. In Marion County, it’s 11%.
As of May 13, 746 county residents have either tested positive for COVID-19 or were presumed positive because of similar symptoms and close contact with someone known to have the virus.
Cases reported since May 8 are spread around the county, with the Woodburn area seeing another large increase.
Even with more people sick, the county’s largest hospital is seeing fewer patients with COVID-19. Salem Hospital now only has five patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, with 32 more awaiting test results.
The number of hospital beds occupied has increased since May 1, when Gov. Kate Brown said medical providers could resume non-urgent procedures and surgeries.
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Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
