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The Confederated Tribes of Warm
Springs Reservation of Oregon
Health and Human
Services Administration
December has seen an increase in the
incidence of Covid-19, seasonal flu and
RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) infec-
tions among the tribal community.
The Warm Springs Covid Response Team
is encouraging all individuals to take common-
sense steps to prevent influenza, RSV and
covid. Measures include:
Getting vaccinated against influenza, and be
up to date with covid vaccinations.
Wear a mask indoors in public places and
when attending gatherings is recommended
through the influenza season. This helps re-
duce the spread of RSV, covid and the flu.
Ask others to wear a mask around children
under 2 years of age (who are unable to mask).
Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently,
and keep high-touch surface areas clean and
regularly disinfected.
Stay home when sick and keep children out
of school and day care when they are sick.
You can access PPE and covid kits from
Emergency Preparedness at 1116 Wasco Street,
or call 541-771-2803 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday to Friday. Covid kits can be accessed
after hours and during the weekend from the
Fire Department.
Please note: Covid test kits are effective in de-
tecting the virus for 6 to 9 months beyond the listed
expiration date on the kit box. Results provided
by the test kits within this time frame—the 6-
to-9 month period after the listed expiration
date—can be trusted to give an accurate read-
ing. Note also: The tribal organization vaccine
mandate for employees remains in place; this
does not apply to the enterprises.
Spilyay Tymoo
December 14
Triple viral concern this winter
Covid in recent weeks has been
showing up more in the commu-
nity with 26 known active cases
on the reservation earlier this
month. Complicating the matter
this winter is the presence of the
seasonal flu plus the virus called
RSV.
Increases in covid, the flu and
RSV are reported across the coun-
try: The CDC has classified almost
every state as having ‘high’ or ‘very
high’ activity, especially for the flu.
RSV typically causes cold-like
symptoms but sometimes can be
more serious. The biggest risks are
for elders and very young.
Vaccines are available at the
Warm Springs IHS clinic for the
flu and covid. No vaccine yet ex-
ists for RSV.
Incidence of Covid-19 in community
At the time of these
demographics, on December 9,
there were 26 known active cases
of Covid-19 among the tribal
community. This brought the
cumulative total number of local
cases, since March of 2020, to
2,619. On December 9 there was
one person who was hospitalized
with covid. There have been a
total of 134 people who have been
hospitalized with covid since the
pandemic began. Thirty-seven
people have passed away from
the covid virus since 2020.
Graphs provided by
Community Health, IHS,
Health and Human Services
Incidence of Covid-19 in the community since the pandemic began.
Fatal motor vehicle incident investigation continues
A young woman and two teen-
age siblings from Warm Springs
lost their lives November 16 as
the result of motor vehicle crash
on Highway 26.
A preliminary Oregon State Po-
lice investigation found that a
Toyota Tacoma, driven by a 29-
year-old Bend woman, was passing
several vehicles in the fog when her
vehicle hit the victims’ vehicle
head-on, instantly killing the driver
and her 13-year old nephew; and
critically injuring her 14-year-niece,
who passed away from her inju-
ries a few days later.
The state police continues its in-
vestigation. The police “have
served search warrants, collected
evidence, and will be preparing an
accident reconstruction report and
toxicology report,” said Jefferson
County District Attorney Steve
LeRiche.
The district attorney’s office
would like to tell the community
that motor vehicle fatality investi-
gations generally take three to six
months to complete.
According to Mr. LeRiche,
when the OSP completes its inves-
tigation, the reports will be for-
warded to his office, and “we will
be evaluating all of the reports as
soon as they get her.
“And then we’ll be making legal
determinations as appropriate.”