By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews
Lincoln County health officials are advising the public to take precautions to guard against Covid-19 after indicators show the risk of catching and spreading the virus are “very high” across the county.
The Centers for Disease Control is tracking growing outbreaks across the country including in Oregon where officials with the Oregon Health Authority say infections have been increasing since April.
The CDC reports the numbers of people infected are growing or likely growing – as it indicated for Oregon – in 35 states and territories, declining or likely declining in two states and territories and stable or uncertain in seven states and territories.
The advisory issued this week by Lincoln County Public Health cites the Oregon Health Authority for listing the county in the high-risk category as well as local wastewater tests and hospital records.
“Samaritan Health Services is reporting an increase in the number of people they see testing positive for Covid-19,” county health officials said in a news release. “This, along with the wastewater data, shows us there is currently an increase in the community transmission of the virus.”
Wastewater samples are collected once a week in Lincoln City, Siletz and Newport and then sent to Oregon State University where they are tested for the virus. Samples taken at the end of July showed “very high levels of Covid-19 at all three sites with Newport falling into the strong detection zone,” the county said.
The current amount of virus detected in that wastewater is higher than during the Omicron waves in 2021 and 2022.
“When people with Covid-19 use the bathroom, parts of the virus that aren’t alive end up in the wastewater,” the release said. “By checking the amount of virus contents in wastewater, we can see if the virus is spreading more or less in a community.”
Levels of detection range from not detectable – which does not mean the virus is not present – to low, moderate, strong and very strong, explained Callie Lamendola-Gilliam, disease prevention and harm reduction manager for Lincoln Public Health.
“For several months we fluctuated between moderate and strong (on the lower side of strong),” Lamendola-Gilliam said in an email to YachatsNews. “Beginning July 2 we started to see sustained increases in detection levels, and they crossed into the very strong category on July 16 and again July 23. Samaritan Health Services also began reporting increases in percent positivity each week.
“This information combined alerted us to the current wave passing through,” she said. “The wastewater data comes to us about a week after collection.”
Wastewater sample collection began in September 2020.
State records indicate nearly 30 people have died from Covid-19 in the past four months, which is low compared to mid-January when 25 died in a week. Hospitalization numbers are also low when compared to the pandemic’s peak but are double what they were last year.
As of July 30, 225 people were hospitalized in Oregon with Covid-19, according to the Oregon Health Authority.
Despite Samaritan’s overall uptick in positive tests, the hospitals in Newport and Lincoln City have not seen an increase in admissions due to the virus, said Samaritan spokeswoman Mary Jo Kerlin.
“Still, that is not indicative of how widespread infections may be, but rather the severity of this particular variant,” Kerlin said.
People 65 and older are at the highest risk of severe illness and complications from Covid-19 and according to the CDC are 97-times more likely to die from the virus than people 18-29 years of age. People with health problems are also at a higher risk of contracting the virus.
To stay safe, health officials advise getting vaccinated, washing hands often, keeping distance from people who are sick, wearing a mask and covering your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. HEPA filters also help to clean the air as do opening windows to allow the flow of fresh air.
- Garret Jaros is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
Maybe this area is high because of the all the tourists.
RE: Getting Vaccinated, The Walgreens vaccination scheduling webpage currently says, “Please check back in late summer when the vaccine is expected to arrive.”
No shock there, as the shots we were last given in the fall have long since worn off and the boosters being limited to those 65 and over with no concern nor shots available for high risk patients with lung issues like COPD and asthma who are younger. The CDC needs to stop putting limits on people who need boosters period. That is why the infection rates are up as most of the population is now not protected.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe a second shot of the vaccine released last fall was approved for immune compromised people even before it was approved for people over age 65.