Hospitalized Residents Down to 74, Seven More Deaths Announced

As of 12:00 pm today, Friday, September 24, 2021, there are FORTY-THREE (43) people with new positive test results, THREE (3) new presumptives and SIX (6) new deaths to report bringing the total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 10,991*. Currently, there are SEVENTY-FOUR (74) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, fifty-two locally and twenty-two out-of-the-area, including one that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 18 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) and 8 BiPAP’s (Non-invasive ventilation for breathing support) machines are currently in use, 13 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 10 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 48% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized cases today, SIXTY-NINE (69) patients out of the 74 patients are not fully vaccinated. COVID-19 RECAP FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 On Thursday, September 23, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had SEVENTY-THREE (73) people with new positive test results, ONE (1) new presumptive and ONE (1) new COVID-19 related death to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 10,945*. We had SEVENTY-FIVE (75)Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, fifty-three locally and twenty-two out-of-the-area, including one patient that has been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 18 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) and 9 BiPAP’s (Non-invasive ventilation for breathing support) machines are currently in use, 14 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 15 are in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 47% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized cases on Thursday, SIXTY-EIGHT (68) patients out of the 75 patients are not fully vaccinated. COVID-19 RELATED DEATHS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS Douglas County Public Health has confirmed the deaths of seven more Douglas County residents related to the COVID-19 virus. Our one hundred and ninety-sixth COVID-19 related death was a 45-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Saturday, August 21, 2021 and passed away on Wednesday, September 22, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our one hundred and ninety-seventh COVID-19 related death was an 89-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday, August 24, 2021 and passed away on Saturday, September 4, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our one hundred and ninety-eighth COVID-19 related death was a 67-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, August 20, 2021 and passed away on Wednesday, September 1, 2021. She was fully vaccinated. Our one hundred and ninety-ninth COVID-19 related death was an 86-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, August 30, 2021 and passed away on Friday, September 17, 2021. She was not vaccinated. Our two hundredth COVID-19 related death was a 45-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Sunday, September 12, 2021 and passed away on Thursday, September 23, 2021. She was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and first COVID-19 related death was a 94-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 and passed away on Thursday, September 9, 2021. She was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and second COVID-19 related death was a 67-year-old man who was made a presumptive COVID-19 case on Saturday, September 18, 2021 and passed away on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. He was not vaccinated. In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of these residents, and as our ethical responsibility to follow all medical laws, no additional information will be released. We thoroughly scrutinize and investigate all deaths, and review all medical records to make sure that everyone we report has met the requirements for a COVID related death, as per the Oregon Disease Investigative Guidelines for COVID-19. Each death related to COVID-19 is painful for all Douglas County residents, and a sad reminder of the terrible impact COVID-19 has had in our local communities. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the DCCRT team extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all family members, friends, relatives, co-workers and community members of those who have passed after contracting this deadly virus.