Jackson County reports 153 COVID-19 cases over weekend

Vickie Aldous, Ashland Daily Tidings, Ore.
·2 min read

Oct. 4—Jackson County Public Health reported 153 new COVID-19 cases and two COVID-19-related deaths over the weekend.

The reporting period covered Friday through Sunday.

A 76-year-old woman passed away at her residence, while a 56-year-old man died at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Both had underlying conditions, Jackson County Public Health said.

The death certificate for the woman listed COVID-19 or the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 illness, as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death, Jackson County Public Health said.

Statewide, Oregon reported 3,286 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend and eight new COVID-19-related deaths. The Oregon Health Authority listed the death of the 56-year-old Jackson County man but not the 76-year-old woman.

The others who died were a 65-year-old man from Josephine County, a 90-year-old woman from Curry County, a 74-year-old man from Coos County, an 85-year-old man and an 80-year-old man from Washington County, and a 60-year-old woman and a 93-year-old woman from Linn County.

For the week of Sept. 26-Oct. 2, Jackson County Public Health reported 465 new COVID-19 cases, a 16% decrease from the previous week.

The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Jackson and Josephine counties continues to fall, dipping to 81 people Monday. That's down from a Sept. 1 peak of 223 people and below the winter surge peak of 85 hospitalized COVID-19 patients on Dec. 19, 2020, according to hospitalization data.

The number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators is trending down, but not as quickly as the drop-off in hospitalizations.

On Monday, 24 COVID-19 patients were on ventilators, compared to a peak of 35 people on Sept. 8. Ventilator use peaked at 10 people during the winter surge, hospitalization data shows.

On Monday, 30 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds, down from a peak of 65 on Sept. 3. The peak of the winter surge was 22 COVID-19 patients in intensive care.

The four hospitals in Jackson and Josephine counties had five available ICU beds Monday, with 54 beds filled by COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.

Reach Mail Tribune reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or valdous@rosebudmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @VickieAldous.