A COVID-19 particle is pictured in this image provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

By JAYSON JACOBY

jjacoby@bakercityherald.com

COVID-19 cases continue at a record-setting pace during August in Baker County.

From Aug. 1-24, the county reported 239 cases, a daily average of almost 10.

The previous monthly and daily records were both set in December 2020, when there were 196 cases, a daily average of 6.3.

There have been more cases in the county so far in August than the combined total for the previous three months.

Cases totaled 212 during May (51), June (70) and July (91).

August could also become the first month with at least one case every day. Daily numbers have ranged from one case on Aug. 15, to 24 cases on Aug. 9.

Baker County’s experience mirrors that in much of Oregon and many parts of the nation as the much more contagious delta variant has spurred a rapid rise in cases and hospitalizations.

One Baker County resident has died during August after testing positive. The 95-year-old woman died Aug. 17 at her home, according to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). Her death was the 19th in the county during the pandemic.

There were two deaths during July — Trinidad Navarro, 59, died on July 14, and his 93-year-old mother, Mary Hurtado, died on July 29.

There were no COVID-related deaths in the county during June, and one during May.

County Commissioner Mark Bennett, who has served as the county’s incident commander throughout the pandemic, said on Wednesday, Aug. 25 that his chief concerns are the county’s roster of emergency responders, and hospital capacity.

On the former, Bennett said the county needs to have a contingency plan in case a significant number of paramedics, nurses and other health care workers choose not to comply with Gov. Kate Brown’s mandate that they be vaccinated by Oct. 18 or potentially lose their jobs.

A group that included Baker City Fire Department employees gathered outside Baker City Hall on Tuesday evening, Aug. 24, to protest the vaccination mandate, and to urge the City Council to oppose the requirement.

As for hospitals, Bennett said Baker County COVID-19 patients who require critical care are still being transported to Boise hospitals.

But with hospital capacity statewide being stressed, with more than 1,000 COVID-19 patients, Bennett said the situation can have indirect effects on even smaller rural hospitals such as Saint Alphonsus in Baker City.

He said a patient, who doesn’t have COVID-19, was recently moved from Lebanon, in the Willamette Valley, to Saint Alphonsus in Baker City because the Lebanon hospital didn’t have space.

“I really hope people realize we are in a public health crisis,” Bennett said.

Breakthrough cases

The OHA will start releasing a weekly report on “breakthrough” cases — infections in people who are fully vaccinated.

Previously the state agency had published monthly, and then biweekly, breakthrough case reports.

The next report, with data through Aug. 22, will be released today, Aug. 26.

The most recent report, which included statistics through Aug. 15, showed that Baker County has had 27 breakthrough cases. Almost half of those — 12 — were reported between Aug. 1-15.

That’s 8.2% of the county’s 147 cases reported during that period.

Statewide, breakthrough cases accounted for 14.4% of Oregon’s COVID-19 cases from Aug. 1-15.

There were 20,701 cases during that period, and 2,982 were in fully vaccinated residents.

The breakthrough report does not say whether any of the vaccinated Baker County residents who tested positive were subsequently hospitalized.

Statewide, of the 7,138 breakthrough cases reported during the pandemic, 5.8% of the people were hospitalized, and 0.8% died, according to OHA. The median age of those who died is 82.

Age breakdown

As was the case during July, the largest share of new cases in Baker County during the first half of August involved relatively young residents, according to the Baker County Health Department.

During July, people in their 20s accounted for 27.6% of cases in the county — the highest percentage of any age group based on 10-year intervals.

For the first half of August, residents in their 30s had the highest percentage of new cases — 23.4% of the county’s total.

That age group has the second-lowest vaccination rate in the county, at 31.4% of the estimated 1,950 people in that age range.

The rest of the age breakdown for Aug. 1-15, ranked by percentage from highest to lowest, and followed by the vaccination rates for that age range, in Baker County and statewide:

• 50 to 59: 17.2% of new cases.

The vaccination rate for that age group in Baker County, through Aug. 24, is 43.5%. The statewide rate is 71.2%.

• 60 to 69 years, 15.2% of new cases.

The vaccination rate in Baker County is 54.1%. The statewide rate is 76.7%.

• 20 to 29 years, 13.1% of new cases.

The vaccination rate in Baker County is 32.2%. The statewide rate is 61.8%.

• 40 to 49 years, 11.3% of new cases.

The vaccination rate in Baker County is 41.8%. The statewide rate is 71%.

• 10 to 19 years, 8.3% of new cases.

The vaccination rate in Baker County for ages 12 to 19 (residents younger than 12 aren’t eligible to be vaccinated) is 34.9%. The statewide rate is 55.1%.

• 70 to 79 years, 4.1% of new cases.

The vaccination rate in Baker County is 66.4%. The statewide rate is 85.6%.

• 5 to 9 years, 2.8% of new cases.

• 1 to 4 years, 2.1% of new cases.

There were no cases in the county among residents 80 or older during the first half of August. That age group accounted for 2.5% of the county’s cases during July.

The vaccination rate for people 80 and older in Baker County is 68.8%. The statewide rate is 79.1%.

Vaccinations

Baker County’s vaccination rate has been higher during August than it was for most of July.

From July 10-31, the seven-day running daily average of vaccine doses administered in the county ranged from nine to 15.

So far in August the running daily average has ranged from 16 to 26 doses.

During July, a total of 336 doses were given in Baker County.

From Aug. 1-23, the total was 475 doses, a 41% increase compared with July. August’s total includes 38 doses administered on the 19th and 37 doses on the 20th. Both daily totals were higher than any day since June 11, when 90 doses were given.

Baker County’s vaccination rate among residents 18 and older increased by 1.4% from Aug. 14-21, to 48.6%.

That’s the seventh-lowest rate among Oregon’s 36 counties.