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SATURDAY-MONDAY • March 21, 2020
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By the numbers
Outbreak updates
Observer staff
These are the latest
local signifi cant develop-
ments of the coronavirus
outbreak. Look for fuller
coverage of these and
other COVID-19 stories
on our website, www.
lagrandeobserver.com,
and in subsequent issues
of The Observer.
UNION COUNTY
•The Union County
Chamber of Commence
announced Friday it is
indefi nitely postponing
the annual Chamber
Awards Banquet.
The chamber reported
the action was to abide by
Gov. Kate Brown’s exec-
utive order to limit the
size of gatherings to more
than 25 people “as well as
do our part to help slow
the spread of the recent
coronavirus (COVID19).”
The chamber offi ce is
operational but not open
to walk-in visitors. Staff
is available only by phone
(541-963-8588) and email
(director@visitunion-
county.org). Check the
chamber’s website (www.
VisitUnionCounty.org)
and social media for
updates to follow.
•Union County Public
Works is open to the
public by appointment
only.
•Grande Ronde Sym-
phony Association can-
celed its spring 2020
rehearsals and events.
This includes the April
11 and May 2 Chamber
concerts and the May
27 Grande Ronde
Symphony Orchestra
concert.
•Many banks closed
offi ces but drive-throughs
and ATMs remain open.
•The Oregon State
University has closed all
of its Extension Service
locations, including in La
Grande, to the public to
help reduce the spread of
COVID-19. OSU Exten-
sion Service in a n news
release stated the clo-
sures will remain in
effect until further notice.
For questions or more
information, contact
the La Grande offi ce at
541-963-1010.
•The Oregon Depart-
ment of Forestry effective
See, Updates/Page 5A
Observer fi le photo
Union County has its fi rst case of COVID-19. Grande Ronde Hospital, La Grande, and its clinics remain open for
non-coronavirus medical issues but the staff are taking medical precuations. The hospital encouraged anyone
who may feel ill with symptoms of the novel coronavirus to call their primary care provider for a preliminary
screening before coming in.
COVID-19 IS HERE
Local health officials
confirm coronavirus in
Union County resident
By Sabrina Thompson
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Union
County has its fi rst offi cial case of
COVID-19.
The Center for Human Devel-
opment in La Grande confi rmed
Thursday afternoon a local resident
has the new coronavirus. The non-
profi t center oversees public health
in the county and in a written state-
ment reported the exposure risk to
Union County residents is low.
“This individual had a recent
history of international travel and is
not considered to have acquired it
from community spread,” the CHD
statement said.
Outside of that, however, the
center reported it is protecting the
identity of the infected person and
would not release any additional
information about their location or
who they may have come in con-
tact with.
Carrie Brogoitti, the center’s
public health administrator, said the
organization knows people are con-
cerned about their risk and want
specifi c information, but the local
public health authorities can not
share more information.
“I know in the past during other
disease outbreaks public health has
made announcements about loca-
tions where people could have been
exposed,” Brogoitti said, “but how
we respond and investigate each
disease is different based on how it
is spread. In this case we focus on
high-risk close contacts to a con-
fi rmed case.”
NEXT STEPS
The center in a news release
stated the Oregon Health Authority
and Union County Public Health
are working to identify and isolate
any individuals who may have been
in close contact with the person
while they were contagious.
“Now that we have identifi ed
an individual with the COVID-19
virus, we will conduct a con-
tact investigation,” Brogoitti said.
“That involves us speaking with
the person who has the disease,
identifying any people that they
have come in close contact with
that could be at risk, and notifying
those people that they have been
in contact and what they should be
looking out for.”
Anyone who was in close con-
tact with the person can expect a
visit from public health investiga-
tors, she said. But anyone else needs
to continue following the daily pre-
cautions of frequent hand washing,
social distancing and staying home.
The Oregon Health Authority’s
testing lab is the primary facility
testing for the novel coronavirus,
however private labs have begun
testing as well. Brogoitti said the
sate agency works directly with the
federal Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention, which confi rms
each case of the virus.
Brogoitti also said there is local
testing for COVID-19 in the county,
but that is only for those who meet
certain criteria and don’t have other
respiratory infections or the fl u.
She said this is due to the limited
number of testing kits available.
“We know that people want to
be tested, and not being able to get
an answer when they are concerned
about their health can be really frus-
trating,” Brogoitti said. “Because
there is no specifi c treatment for
this virus, in most cases having a
test to confi rm you have it won’t
change what happens and what the
doctor tells you to do.”
The federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention recom-
mend social distancing and proper
hygiene as the most effective ways
to keep the virus from spreading.
Brogoitti said social distancing isn’t
possible for everyone, but the goal
is to slow the spread so hospitals
can handle an infl ux of ill people
and to protect health care providers
and other essential services, such as
police and medics.
“Families can protect people
in high-risk groups (people over
60 or those with underlying med-
ical conditions) by limiting contact
with them,” she explained. “Use the
phone, letters and video chat rather
than in-person visits to keep them
safe. Employers can look at tele-
commute options to help reduce the
spread among their workforce and
help reduce community transmis-
sion by allowing people to stay at
home as much as possible.”
VIRUS PUTS HOSPITAL
WORKERS AT RISK
Grande Ronde Hospital is col-
lecting specimens of people who
meet the criteria for having the
virus and sending those to labs
for testing, hospital spokesperson
Mardi Ford said.
Healthcare workers are another
group at risk of catching the virus.
Ford explained doctors, nurses and
staff at the hospital are taking pre-
cautions to protect themselves in
See, COVID-19/Page 5A
Worldwide cases:
209,839
Worldwide deaths:
8,778
United States cases:
15,219
United States
deaths: 201
Oregon cases:
114
Oregon deaths: 3
Union County cases:
1
Union County
deaths: 0
Wallowa County
cases: 0
Wallowa County
deaths: 0
*As of noon Friday,
March 20
Sources: World Health
Organization, Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention, Oregon
Health Authority
FAQ (from the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention)
THERE IS A CASE IN
MY COMMUNITY.
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
During an outbreak,
stay calm and put
your preparedness
plan to work. Follow
the steps below:
•Stay home if you are
sick. Keep away from
people who are sick.
Limit close contact
with others as much
as possible (no closer
than 6 feet).
•Stay informed about
the local COVID-19
situation, including
temporary school
dismissals in your
area.
•Continue practicing
everyday preven-
tive actions. Cover
coughs and sneezes
with a tissue and
wash your hands
often with soap and
water for at least 20
seconds. If soap and
water are not avail-
able, use a hand san-
itizer that contains
60% alcohol. Keep
your hands away
from your face. Clean
frequently touched
surfaces and objects
daily using a regular
household detergent
and water.
•Notify your work-
place as soon as
possible if your reg-
ular work schedule
changes. Ask to
work from home or
take leave if you or
someone in your
household expe-
riences COVID-19
symptoms, or if your
child’s school is
See, Numbers/Page 5A
Church services go digital amid outbreak
Congregations go smaller, services livestreaming
By Ronald Bond
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Faced with
state and federal mandates to
reducing gathering sizes to curb
the spread of coronavirus, many
of the area’s churches are fi nding
different and creative ways to
worship.
Churches in the Grande
Ronde Valley are using mea-
sures ranging from livestreaming
— which many do already — to
meeting in smaller groups on
Sunday mornings as they tackle
the challenge of providing wor-
ship and a sermon to parishioners
with group limits capped at no
larger than 25 and recommended
at no more than 10.
And they are doing so with
an understanding of the need of
See, Churches/Page 5A
INDEX
Classified ..... 2B
Comics ......... 5B
Crossword ... 3B
Staff photo by Ronald Bond
La Grande Church
of the Nazarene
pastor Kevin Goss
adjusts settings
for the camera the
church will use
starting Sunday
to livestream its
services, which
it is doing in
response to gov-
ernment moves to
reduce gathering
sizes.
CONTACT US
Dear Abby ... 6B
Horoscope ... 3B
Lottery.......... 2A
TUESDAY
Obituaries .... 3A
Opinion ........ 4A
Outdoors ..... 1B
COVID-19 AND SCHOOLS
541-963-3161
Issue 35
2 sections, 12 pages
La Grande, Oregon
Email story ideas
to news@lagrande
observer.com.
More contact info
on Page 4A.
Online at lagrandeobserver.com