Oregon reports 10 more COVID-19 related deaths, 1,517 new cases

(Update: Adding daily report)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — There are 10 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 4,284, the Oregon Health Authority reported Friday.

OHA also reported 1,517 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, bringing the state total to 357,526.

Newest COVID-19 modeling report projects decrease in daily cases and hospitalizations

The Oregon Health Authority released its latest COVID-19 forecast Friday, showing a continued decline in daily cases and hospitalizations through early November.

According to the report, the effective reproduction rate – the expected number of secondary cases that a single case generates – was estimated at .90 on Oct. 6, which is slightly lower than last week’s projection.

At that level of transmission, the report estimates 255 cases per 100,000 people, or an average of 770 daily cases and 45 hospitalizations for the two-week period between Oct. 27 and Nov. 9.

The report also estimated the potential impact from the projected spread of the disease from Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, which had a reproductive rate that averaged .82.

At that rate of transmission, new daily cases and hospitalizations are expected to decline more steeply, with an estimated average of 185 per100,000 people, projecting an average of 555 new cases and 31 hospitalizations over the same period.

The report also identified a “significant contrast” in adherence to the recommended public health protocols between unvaccinated and vaccinated persons.

Mask wearing among unvaccinated people is about half the rate of vaccinated people. Unvaccinated people are also more likely to attend large events outdoors.

OHA says vaccinations and booster doses remain the most effective shield against COVID-19. It says Oregonians should wear masks when in indoor public spaces and when outdoors among crowds.

To date, more than 2.79 million Oregonians have received at least one dose of the safe and highly effective vaccine and 2.58 million people have completed a vaccine series.

Booster doses for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine recommended by CDC

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendation for booster shots of Moderna’s and Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines.

CDC recommended that anyone 65 and older, and those between 18 and 64 who received the Moderna vaccine, should receive a booster dose of the Moderna vaccine at least six months after their second dose. Those groups include people 18 and older in long-term care settings, who have underlying medical conditions, and who work or live in high-risk settings. The CDC also recommended that anyone 18 and older who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should receive a booster dose at least two months after their first dose.

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, including Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada, met Thursday night to discuss recommendations for COVID-19 booster doses for fully vaccinated people. Today, the workgroup announced its…