Multnomah, Hood River counties removed from COVID watch list

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Multnomah and Hood River counties have been removed from the COVID-19 Watch List, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Friday.

Brown said both counties have reduced the spread of the coronavirus successfully enough to be taken off the Watch List. With their removal, six counties remain: Baker, Jackson, Jefferson, Malheur, Morrow and Umatilla.

KOIN reports that counties are added to the Watch List when the virus is spreading quickly and public health officials cannot trace the spread to a specific source. Being on the Watch List lets the state prioritize resources and help, increases monitoring and deploys more technical assistance, officials said.

In Oregon authorities have reported more than 26,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 447 deaths. Officials on Friday announced nine additional deaths, including a 29-year-old Multnomah County man with no underlying health conditions. The other deaths were in people over the age of 50, several with underlying conditions.

For most, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.