Coronavirus in Oregon: Weekly cases climb 30%, hospitalizations double from

Oregon health officials reported nearly 7,000 new coronavirus cases during the week ending Sunday, the fifth consecutive week of increasing cases since the fall of the omicron wave.

But the case growth showed a modest decline, with only 30% more cases than the previous week, after two consecutive weeks with about 50% case growth. In other words, cases are still climbing, but not quite as fast as they had been — with a possible plateau seen the past few days.

Hospitalizations, which lag behind cases, appear to have started to catch up. Just under 170 people in Oregon are now hospitalized with COVID-19, double the post-omicron trough of 84 occupied beds. About half are considered incidental cases, or hospitalizations where the person came for treatment for a different condition and happened to test positive for COVID-19.

Hospitalizations during the current coronavirus bump, driven by maskless socializing and a highly contagious subvariant of omicron, could peak around 315 occupied beds in June, according to Oregon Health & Science University modeling.

Since it began: Oregon has reported 723,336 confirmed or presumed infections and 7,505 deaths.

Where the newest cases are by county: Baker (3), Benton (262), Clackamas (750), Clatsop (44), Columbia (86), Coos (22), Crook (23), Curry (7), Deschutes (452), Douglas (63), Grant (3), Harney (1), Hood River (29), Jackson (178), Jefferson (19), Josephine (75), Klamath (38), Lake (2), Lane (487), Lincoln (41), Linn (153), Malheur (19), Marion (411), Morrow (6), Multnomah (2,318), Polk (92), Sherman (1), Tillamook (34), Umatilla (24), Wallowa (4), Wasco (23), Washington (1,156) and Yamhill (96).

Hospitalizations: 168 people with confirmed coronavirus infections are hospitalized, up 24 since Monday, April 25. That includes 29 people in intensive care, up 14 since April 25.

Vaccinations: As of April 25, the state has reported fully vaccinating 2,899,371 people (67.9% of the population), partially vaccinating 289,211 people (6.8%) and boosting 1,610,494 (37.7%).

New deaths: Since April 25, the Oregon Health Authority has reported 20 additional deaths connected to COVID-19.

— Fedor Zarkhin