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APRIL 24, 2020, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9 COVID-19 cases spike in Marion County, cause remains under investigation By RACHEL ALEXANDER Of Salem Reporter Marion County experi- enced a surge over the week- end in residents testing positive for COVID-19 that is con- cerning state and local health offi cials who can’t yet identify a cause. Fifty-four county residents got a positive test back between Saturday, April 18 and Monday, April 20, the largest three-day increase since the fi rst Marion County resident confi rmed positive on March 8. With 10 more people testing positive as of Tuesday morning, there are now 381 people con- fi rmed to have COVID-19 in the county, a 20 percent in- crease. Fourteen have died. Since the epidemic began, testing in the area has increased, but that doesn’t fully explain the spike. Over the weekend, 306 county residents got test results back. Eighteen percent were positive - a far higher rate than typical and three times the state average. Statewide, about 5 per- cent of Oregonians tested for COVID-19 since late February have tested positive. In Marion County, it’s 11 percent since testing began. “We are concerned. Addi- tional research is being done to analyze demographics of pos- itive cases, including wheth- er the cases are sporadic or linked to a known outbreak, or household,” said Jonathan Modie, Oregon Health Au- thority spokesman, in an email. There’s been no equivalent increase in Polk County, which has 33 residents who have test- ed positive for the virus. Marion County has con- sistently had the highest rate Phone & Video Conferencing Available 503-371-9636 Protecting You and the Ones You Love Kathy Belcher Attorney at Law McGinty Belcher & Hamilton, Attorneys 694 High Street NE, Salem • mcginty-belcher.com Estate Planning • Elder Law • Probate Social Security • Wills & Trusts Asset Protection • Medical Directives Guardian & Conservatorships of people with COVID-19 in Oregon, despite testing at a rate similar to or lower than many other urban counties. Modie said one explanation may be that Oregon’s Latino population has been hit hard- er by COVID-19. While Lati- nos make up about 13 percent of Oregon’s population, they account for 26 percent of the positive tests for COVID-19. Marion County has a high Latino population, about 26 percent of residents, according to Census data. Among the new cases, coun- ty health offi cials have not yet identifi ed how many live or work in nursing homes, prisons or other facilities considered to be at high risk, though it ap- pears known cases in facilities don’t explain the rise. County spokeswoman Jolene Kelley said county of- fi cials planned to compile ployees who have tested posi- that information in the next tive for COVID-19, or at least few days. Most cases, she said, one death from the virus. They are The Oaks at Sher- weren’t related to group living wood Park in Keizer, Marquis environments or facilities. Most of those who recently Marian Estates in Sublimi- tested positive have had con- ty, Country Meadows Village tact with another infected per- in Woodburn and Jason Lee Manor Apartments, Four Sea- son, Kelley said. sons Memory “Because Care and Sa- Marion Coun- lem Transition- ty continues to al Care, all in see new cases, Salem. we strongly To g e t h e r , encourage resi- those facili- dents to adhere ties have 46 to social dis- people testing tancing guide- positive for lines which can C OV I D - 1 9 . be a powerful But only fi ve p reve n t a t ive have been add- tool when used ed in the past c o n s i s t e n t l y. week, the state And although wearing face — Jolene Kelley reports show. coverings is County spokesperson Facilities with no deaths and not mandato- fewer than ry, we strongly encourage residents to wear three people testing positive masks when in public settings,” aren’t reported. With four state prisons, a Kelley said in an email. State data released Tuesday county jail and Oregon State shows a slight increase in the Hospital within its boundar- number of Marion County ies, Marion County has more nursing home residents con- people living and working in institutions than many Oregon fi rmed to have COVID-19. Six local nursing homes counties. But those facilities have outbreaks, defi ned as account for only a handful of three or more residents or em- the new cases. To date, no Oregon State Hospital patient has tested positive for the virus, hospital spokeswoman Rebeka Gip- son-King said. Nine have test- ed negative, and one has a test pending. Three hospital employees have reported positive tests for COVID-19, Gipson-King said. As of April 21, the Marion County Jail has not had any in- mates test positive for the virus, said Sgt. Jeremy Landers, Mar- ion County Sheriff ’s Offi ce spokesman. Two of the four pris- ons in the Salem area have COVID-19 cases. At San- tiam Correctional Institution, six employees and four in- mates were confi rmed to have COVID-19. At Oregon State Penitentiary, four employees tested positive for the virus. No one at Oregon State Correctional Institution or Mill Creek Corrections Cen- ter has yet tested positive, ac- cording to Department of Corrections data. Overall, Modie said the rate of new people getting sick with COVID-19 is falling across Oregon, despite some local spikes. “We continue to fl atten the statewide curve and estimate that Oregon’s aggressive phys- ical distancing measures will continue to prevent new cases from rising above current dai- ly levels of active coronavirus cases, as long as we maintain restrictions into May,” he said. “We strongly encourage residents to adhere to social distancing guidelines.” (Special to the Keizertimes. 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