Baker County’s COVID-19 case rate dropped slightly last week, the second straight weekly drop.

The Baker County Health Department reported 34 new cases for the week Nov. 28-Dec. 4. There were no cases on Saturday, Dec. 4 or on Sunday, Dec. 5.

There were 37 cases for the previous week, Nov. 21-27, and 46 cases for the week Nov. 14-20.

The county’s test positivity rate dropped from 11.6% from Nov. 21-27, to 10.7% from Nov. 28-Dec. 4, according to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).

Statewide during the latter week, 5.9% of tests were positive.

Vaccinations

The Health Department is seeking to boost the county’s vaccination rates with a series of drive-thru clinics later this month in Baker City, Halfway and Huntington (see related story on Page A2).

Although Baker County continues to have the fifth-lowest vaccination rate among Oregon’s 36 counties — 54.2% of residents age 18 and older — the number of doses given in the county more than doubled in November compared with September.

A total of 1,707 doses were administered in the county during November, according to the OHA.

That’s up from 1,048 doses during October, and from 776 doses during September.

There were 633 doses given in the county during August, and 398 in July.

The highest vaccination rate for Baker County is among residents 65 and older. There are about 4,850 people in that age category in the county, and 68.4% have received at least one dose (64.9% are fully vaccinated, according to the OHA).

Also, 31% of residents in that age group have received a booster dose.