COVID-19 cases have been declining in Baker County for almost a month.

The Baker County Health Department reported 40 cases during the most recent measuring week, Feb. 13-19.

That’s a 37.9% drop from the previous week’s total of 60.

Since the week of Jan. 16-22, when the county set a record high with 183 new cases, cases have plummeted by 78.1%, dropping for four consecutive weeks.

Weekly case totals, and the percentage decline, for that period:

• Jan. 23-29 — 165 cases, 9.8% drop from previous week

• Jan. 30-Feb. 5 — 115 cases, 30.3% drop

• Feb. 6-12 — 66 cases, 42.6% drop

• Feb. 13-19 — 40 cases, 37.9% drop

The most recent weekly total of 40 was the fewest in a week since Dec. 26-Jan. 1, when there were 29 cases.

That’s just before the surge caused by the highly contagious omicron variant began to spread across Oregon, resulting in record numbers of cases statewide.

But as has been seen in other countries where omicron spread earlier, as well as in the eastern part of the U.S., cases tend to drop dramatically after the omicron wave peaks.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on Friday, Feb. 18, announced the 45th COVID-19 related death of a Baker County resident.

The 84-year-old man tested positive on Feb. 1 and died Feb. 17 at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center, according to OHA. He had underlying medical conditions.

It was the third COVID-19-related death in the county during February.