MARCH 13, 2020, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A3
First case of COVID-19 found in Marion County
A person in Marion Coun-
ty tested positive for the novel
coronavirus (COVID-19) on
Sunday, March 8.
The Marion County case
had no previous contact with
a confi rmed case and is sus-
pected of being community
spread.
Coronavirus has contin-
ued to spread in Oregon
and throughout the country
as new cases of the virus are
confi rmed on a nearly hourly
basis.
Oregon’s new COVID-19
cases bring the state’s total
number of those who’ve test-
ed positive for the virus to 14,
as of Sunday.
“We are prepared to acti-
vate an unprecedented state
and private effort to contain
the spread of COVID-19 in
Oregon by focusing specifi -
cally on at-risk populations,”
said OHA Director Patrick
Allen. “We want to protect
Oregonians at greatest risk of
the most severe outcomes of
this disease, including older
adults, people with underlying
conditions, people who are
homeless and those who are
vulnerable in other ways.”
On Sunday, March 8, Gov.
Kate Brown declared a state-
wide emergency as a result of
KT on vacation
Submitted photo
Olivia Gonzalez, 5, took her Keizertimes all the way to Dineyworld
in Orlando, Fla. You too can have your photo in the Keizertimes.
Simply take the paper to your destination, snap a picture with
you and your group holding it, and send the photo along with
everyone’s fi rst and last names to kt@keizertimes.com.
Regarding schools, the Or-
egon Health Authority has
recommended consider all
alternatives before closing a
school, college or university
in the event that a COVID-19
case is detected among stu-
dents or staff.
OHA continues to recom-
mend that all people in Ore-
gon take everyday precautions
to prevent the spread of many
respiratory illnesses, including
COVID-19 and infl uenza:
Cover your coughs and sneez-
es, wash your hands often with
soap and water for 20 seconds,
avoid close contact with peo-
ple who are sick and avoid
touching your eyes, nose and
mouth with unwashed hands.
At press time, 295 people
throughout Oregon had been
tested for COVID-19, 213 of
the tests were negative, fi fteen
were positive and 67 results
were pending.
Most
people
with
COVID-19 have mild symp-
toms. If you are feeling sick
with mild symptoms and do
not need to seek medical care,
stay home while you recover.
If you are sick and plan to seek
care, please call before going
in for care so arrangements
can be made to prevent ex-
posing others
To test for COVID-19,
health professionals swab a
person’s nose or throat, collect
phlegm coughed up from the
lungs, or squirt liquid into the
nose, throat or lungs and col-
lect the liquid again for testing.
The samples are analyzed in a
laboratory, where technicians
must extract and purify the vi-
rus’ genetic material from the
mucus, cell debris and other
material in the samples.
Woman drowns after driving into river
Book sale
March 27-28
the virus spread. The declara-
tion allows the state to fi nalize
the agreement, prepare a med-
ical reserve
corps, expand
telemedicine
options, be-
gin working
with provid-
ers who serve
older
and
vulnerable
populations
to formulate
agg ressive
outreach and
p reve n t i o n
strategies and seek addition-
al funding to support the re-
sponse effort.
Dana Hargunani, M.D.,
chief medical offi cer at OHA,
says the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention has
identifi ed people most at-
risk of severe illness from
On Thursday, March 4,
shortly after 4 p.m., emer-
gency crews were dispatched
to the report of a SUV that
drove into the Willamette
River at the Wheatland Ferry,
just north of Keizer.
Prior to emergency crews
arriving on scene, the vehicle
was completely submerged
in the water. Witnesses at
the scene reported only see-
ing one person in the vehicle
when it entered the river.
Efforts to locate the vehi-
cle were soon suspended due
to darkness. Efforts resumed
the morning of March 5 and
rescue crews located a GMC
Terrain with the lone occu-
pant still inside. The driver
was later identifi ed as Jeanie
Sandall, 56, of Dayton.
The vehicle was removed
from the Willamette Riv-
er. Investigators have tenta-
tively identifi ed the deceased
driver of the vehicle. The cir-
cumstances leading up to the
vehicle being driven into the
water are still under investiga-
tion.
Along with the GMC, two
COVID-19: older adults; peo-
ple who have severe chronic
medical conditions like heart,
lung or kid-
ney disease.
She said old-
er
people
are
twice
as likely to
contract the
C OV I D - 1 9
illness.
Hargu-
nani recom-
mended old-
er adults and
people with
underlying conditions take
the following steps to stay safe
and healthy:
• Minimize contact with
people who may be ill.
• Avoid large public gath-
erings.
• Order prescriptions by
mail.
Submitted
Marion County Sheriff’s deputies work to fi nd a vehicle seen
entering the Willamette River with the driver inside.
additional unrelated vehicles
were located in the water.
Both vehicles were unoccu-
pied and appeared to have
been underwater for an ex-
tended period of time. Due
to the challenging location
in the waterway of the other
two vehicles, there will be no
efforts to remove them at this
time.
The Marion County Sher-
iff ’s Offi ce was assisted during
initial search operations by the
following agencies; Marion
County Public Works, Keizer
Fire Department, Keizer Po-
lice Department, Salem Fire
Department, Tualatin Valley
Fire and Rescue, Lake Oswe-
go Fire District, Woodburn
Ambulance, Oregon State Po-
lice, Oregon State Parks De-
partment, and Life Flight.
The Keizer Community
Library has added a book sale
to the spring schedule. The
sale is scheduled for Friday,
March 27, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and
Saturday, March 28, 9 a.m. to 5
p.m., at the Keizer Civic Cen-
ter, 930 Chemawa Rd. NE.
Prices are 50¢ for paper-
back books, $1 for hardcover
books, $1 for CDs and puz-
zles, 50¢ for VHS tapes and
special pricing on a few items.
Items include overstock books,
books on tape and CD, movies
on videotape and DVD, and
puzzles.
Cash or checks are accept-
ed. Bargain time is Saturday,
4-5 p.m., when full grocery
bags sell for $4 and full boxes
for $5. Shoppers are asked to
bring their own bag or box.
Visit the library during
the following hours: 1-7 p.m.
Monday through Thursday;
1-4 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. - 4
p.m. Saturday; and 1-4 p.m.
Sunday, or call the library
during those hours at 503-
390-2370.