Baker County’s rate of COVID-19 cases remains at its lowest level since early in the pandemic.

April’s total of 13 cases followed March’s 14.

Both numbers are lower than any month since June 2020.

Baker County’s first confirmed case was reported on May 6, 2020. There were no additional cases until July 2020. July’s total was 28 cases, and there were at least 20 cases in each month from July 2020 through February 2022.

Monthly case totals fluctuated, sometimes by considerable margins, during much of that period.

After hitting a then-record of 196 cases during December 2020, cases dipped to 70 in February 2021, rose again to 162 in April 2021, then plunged to 51 in May 2021 — the fewest until this March’s total of 14.

During the surge caused by the delta variant in the summer of 2021, Baker County set consecutive records with 300 cases in August and 465 in September.

Cases then dipped significantly during the fall of 2021, to 168 in October, 143 in November and 106 in December.

The omicron variant surge spiked in January 2022, with a record 646 cases.

Since then, cases have dropped at a much more precipitous rate than previously.

February’s total was 230, and then the case rate plummeted in March.

Baker County hasn’t reported a COVID-19-related death in more than a month.

The county has reported 3,217 total cases, and 48 related deaths, during the pandemic.

The situation has been different overall in Oregon, as the BA.2 strain has led to an increase in cases, although COVID-19-related deaths have continued to drop, and hospitalizations have risen only slightly.

The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,464 cases statewide on April 28 — the highest daily total since mid February. The daily average, based on the previous seven days, has increased statewide from 228 in late March to 991 on April 28.

State and federal officials have pointed out that recent figures could be underestimating the prevalence of the virus, since many people are doing home tests, the results of which don’t have to be reported to public health agencies.

The number of recorded tests in Baker County has not varied dramatically over the past several weeks:

• March 6-12 — 193

• March 13-19 — 156

• March 20-26 — 131

• March 27-April 2 — 108

• April 3-9 — 145

• April 10-16 — 105

• April 17-23 — 127

• April 24-28 — 48 (does not include April 29 and 30)