Baker County had its highest daily total of COVID-19 cases in a month, with 11 cases reported on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

That was the most in a day since Nov. 22, when there were also 11 cases.

Tuesday’s total was the first day with 10 or more cases since Nov. 30, when there were 10 cases.

Case totals have been trending down, however, during December, for the third straight month.

The daily average dropped from a record high of 15.5 cases during September, to 5.4 during October and to 4.8 during November.

For the first 21 days of December, the daily average is 3.7 cases, the lowest since July.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) does not list the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 by county.

Statewide, there were 338 COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Tuesday, Dec. 21, a decline of 14 from the previous day and well below the peak of about 1,150 in September.

The OHA has reported three COVID-19 related deaths in Baker County during December, the most recent on Dec. 10.

Baker County’s test positivity rate has been below the state average this week.

As of Dec. 21, the seven-day average for test positivity was 5.6% in Baker County, compared with 6.1% statewide.

Baker County’s average ranked 15th among Oregon’s 36 counties.

The county’s case rate per 100,000 residents was 124.2 over the previous seven days, compared with a statewide average of 133.2.

Baker County continues to have the fifth-lowest vaccination rate, at 55% of residents 18 and older having had at least one dose.

The statewide figure is 80.4%.