Baker County reported its highest one-day total of new COVID-19 cases in two months on Monday, June 21, with 12 cases.

That’s the most in one day in the county since April 21, when there were 14.

“The virus is still with us, and people need to be mindful of that,” said Baker County Commissioner Mark Bennett, who has been the county’s incident commander throughout the pandemic.

The county’s most recent significant surge in infections was during the first three weeks of April.

Since April 22, when there were 11 new cases, the county had had more than seven new cases on only one day — May 5, with 10 cases.

Bennett said the 12 new cases today don’t have a single origin. Some are related to social gatherings, some to workplaces, and some are individual isolated cases, he said.

Today’s cases push June’s total to 53, which is two more than were reported in the county during the 31 days of May.

June’s daily average remains well below that of April, however. June’s daily average through the 21st is 2.5 cases per day. April, with 162 cases, had a daily average of 5.4. Only December 2020, with 196 total cases, had more.

Oregon is nearing the threshold at which Gov. Kate Brown said she will end statewide restrictions on businesses and events. That will happen when 70% of state residents 18 or older are at least partially vaccinated. The rate, as of today, is 68.7%.

Baker County’s vaccination rate (county rates are based on the percentage of residents 16 and older) is 43.8%. Nine of Oregon’s 35 other counties have a lower vaccination percentage.