Oregon coronavirus updates, May 1: Oregon to reopen hunting, fishing to out-of-staters May 5

David Davis Bill Poehler
Salem Statesman Journal

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UPDATE at 3:48 p.m.

Oregon will reopen hunting, fishing May 5

Non-Oregon residents will be allowed to hunt and fish in Oregon starting May 5, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The department is lifting restrictions as the state loosens restrictions on all recreation in Oregon.

Oregon and Washington are to open salmon and steelhead fishing on the Columbia River next week.

“We want to thank non-residents for their understanding of the temporary closure,” ODFW Director Curt Melcher said. “We are also announcing a special refund policy for non-residents who purchased fishing license documents between April 6-15, which is about the time when Washington announced their extended closure of all hunting and fishing.”

Recreational crabbing and clamming are still closed until further notice as most beaches are still closed and those who don’t live on the coast are advised not to travel there.

Many non-residents who purchased hunting and fishing licenses before Oregon closed those to non-residents are eligible for a refund, which is available through the department’s website at https://dfw.state.or.us/

-Bill Poehler

Updated at 1:13 p.m.

St. Paul Rodeo canceled for first time

For the first time since its 1935 creation, the St. Paul Rodeo has been canceled.

Citing the ongoing public health crisis, the board of directors announced in a statement Friday morning that the rodeo would not go on in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The rodeo, which is sanctioned by the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association, annually draws tens of thousands of fans to the city in north Marion County.

“Our hearts are breaking for the memories lost and the state of our country during this sad and overwhelming time,” St. Paul Rodeo President Randy Ernst said. “But our first responsibility is to the health and safety of our community, our members and rodeo fans.”

The rodeo announced it will return June 30 through July 4, 2021.

-Bill Poehler

UPDATE at 1 p.m.

Oregon reports 69 news cases, one COVID-19 death

State officials announced a Multnomah County man who died in his home earlier this week is Oregon's 104th COVID-19 related death.

The man had underlying medical conditions.

Also announced were 69 new cases across the state, with 17 new cases in Marion County and three in Polk.

COVID-19 by the numbers in Oregon

Here's the most recent data from OHA, as of Friday:

  • 104: Deaths from COVID-19
  • 208: People hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19
  • 23: Patients placed on ventilators
  • 2,579: Tests that were positive
  • 55,597: Tests that were negative
  • 58,176: Total number of tests given, since Jan. 24

Oregon COVID-19 cases by county

Here are the number of cases and deaths as of Friday, May 1:

  • Benton: 32 cases, 5 deaths.
  • Clackamas: 222 cases, 7 deaths.
  • Clatsop: 7 cases.
  • Columbia: 14 cases.
  • Coos: 21 cases.
  • Crook: 1 case.
  • Curry: 4 cases.
  • ​Deschutes: 76 cases.
  • ​Douglas: 24 cases.
  • Grant: 1 case.
  • Harney: 1 case.
  • Hood River: 6 cases.
  • Jackson: 49 cases.
  • Jefferson: 10 cases.
  • Josephine: 21 cases, 1 death.
  • Klamath: 39 cases.
  • Lane: 50 cases, 2 deaths.
  • Lincoln: 5 cases.
  • ​Linn: 87 cases, 7 deaths.
  • Malheur: 10 cases.
  • Marion: 508 cases, 18 deaths.
  • Morrow: 8 cases.
  • ​Multnomah: 720 cases, 44 deaths.
  • ​Polk: 42 cases, 1 death.
  • Sherman: 1 case.
  • Tillamook: 6 cases.
  • ​Umatilla: 57 cases.
  • Union: 4 cases.
  • Wallowa: 1 case.
  • Wasco: 13 cases, 1 death.
  • ​Washington: 500 cases, 11 deaths.
  • Yamhill: 39 cases, 7 deaths.

Source: Oregon Health Authority

UPDATE at 11:45 a.m.

Police breakup funeral wake in Woodburn

Officers responded to a citizen tip of a funeral wake at a Woodburn event space earlier this week.

The gathering at the Metropolis Marketplace was found to be in violation of Gov. Brown's Stay Home, Save Lives executive order limiting social gatherings, said Woodburn Police.

The manager of the venue was advised to stop the event by police.

The incident comes as the rate of COVID-19 cases in the Woodburn area outpace other areas of the state. County data indicates the 97071 zip code in Woodburn appears to have the highest number of cases among Marion County zip codes, with 132 cases.

Following an investigation, police officials say state regulatory agencies were notified and provided with a report of the gathering.

In depth:Marion County continues to see highest rate of COVID-19 cases in Oregon

UPDATE at 8:25 a.m.

Alaska Airlines to require passengers to wear masks

SEATTLE (AP) — Alaska Airlines says passengers will soon need to wear face masks on flights due to the threat from coronavirus.

In a statement Friday, the Seattle-based airline said face masks will be mandatory beginning May 11. And employees who can’t maintain six feet of distance between passengers and other employees will also be required to wear masks.

“In light of COVID-19, we’re in a new era of air travel and are continually updating our safety standards to better protect our guests and employees,” said Max Tidwell, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of safety.

Alaska says the race mask requirement is one of many safety measures it has taken during the coronavirus pandemic, including more frequent cleaning on flights of places like tray tables and lavatories and blocking middle seats on large aircraft and aisle seats on small planes through May.

— Associated Press

UPDATE at 6:30 a.m.

Virus prompts state parole board to consider early release

A top Oregon parole board official said Thursday the agency is reviewing seven inmates for early release because of their severe medical conditions and has asked corrections staff to evaluate an additional 60 inmates for possible release.

The board decided to consider the cases after receiving an estimated 1,000 requests from inmates since the coronavirus emerged in Oregon, said Dylan Arthur, executive director of the Oregon Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision.

Some of those requests were for the same inmates; Arthur estimated that about 500 inmates had sought early release due to medical conditions, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

By law, the board may consider releasing inmates before the end of their sentences only if they fall under a limited set of circumstances: They must have a severe medical condition, including terminal illness, or be elderly and permanently incapacitated.

The first seven are severely ill. The other 60 are older than 60 and incapacitated.

Arthur said chronic conditions such as heart disease or asthma won’t solely qualify someone for release.

Regardless of a person’s medical status, age or disability, prisoners serving mandatory minimum sentences under Oregon’s Measure 11 law are not eligible to get out early.

Arthur said the parole board will review each case and will consider what resources and support the person has if they were to get out.

Early releases by the parole board are rare. He said the process will include notifying victims if an offender is released ahead of schedule.

— Associated Press

UPDATE at 6:15 a.m.

Antibody tests were supposed to help guide US reopening plans, it hasn't

A new type of coronavirus test expected to offer clarity on how and when to reopen the nation has instead sowed confusion.

A blood test that can detect whether a person’s had the virus has been heralded as an important tool for policymakers. Not only would it help answer critical questions such as how widespread it is, the test would inform them when people can safety return to work or school and not worry about becoming ill.

But hopes for quick answers have been dashed as a lack of evidence raises questions about the accuracy and reliability of a wide swath of antibody tests now being marketed to hospitals, doctors and consumers.

Public health experts are questioning the precision of antibody tests now being deployed in communities nationwide. And they warn elected officials, business leaders and consumers should be careful about making decisions based on test results. 

Colin West is a Mayo Clinic internal medicine doctor and professor who has tracked the accuracy of COVID-19 tests.

“We need to stop pretending the tests are perfect,” West said. A person who gets tested should not “suddenly stop wearing a mask or stop washing their hands. Or stop physically distancing.”

Read more:Antibody tests were supposed to help guide US reopening plans. They've brought more confusion than clarity amid coronavirus.

— USA TODAY Network

Previous update:

Oregon unemployment, at 362,000, is twice that of Great Recession

Over the past six weeks there have been twice as many unemployment claims in Oregon as there were during the peak of the recession, according to data released by the Oregon Employment Department.

There were 28,500 new claims filed in Oregon in the week ending April 25, bringing the total number of new unemployment claims since the coronavirus outbreak in Oregon to 362,200.

At the peak of the recession in 2010, there were 147,800 job losses, according to the department.

Oregon had 2,105,500 people employed in February, meaning 18 percent of Oregonians are out of work due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oregon’s unemployment rate for March was announced at a record low of 3.3%, but that data was collected March 17, prior to Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order for people to stay home and certain businesses to close.

That is expected to skyrocket for April when that data is announced May 27, with some projections of it going as high as 20%.

Read more:Oregon unemployment, at 362,000, is twice that of Great Recession

— Bill Poehler

Oregon COVID-19 cases by county

Here are the number of cases and deaths as of Thursday, April 30:

  • Benton: 32 cases, 5 deaths.
  • Clackamas: 222 cases, 7 deaths.
  • Clatsop: 7 cases.
  • Columbia: 14 cases.
  • Coos: 21 cases.
  • Crook: 1 case.
  • Curry: 4 cases.
  • ​Deschutes: 76 cases.
  • ​Douglas: 24 cases.
  • Grant: 1 case.
  • Harney: 1 case.
  • Hood River: 6 cases.
  • Jackson: 49 cases.
  • Jefferson: 10 cases.
  • Josephine: 21 cases, 1 death.
  • Klamath: 39 cases.
  • Lane: 50 cases, 2 deaths.
  • Lincoln: 5 cases.
  • ​Linn: 87 cases, 7 deaths.
  • Malheur: 10 cases.
  • Marion: 508 cases, 18 deaths.
  • Morrow: 8 cases.
  • ​Multnomah: 720 cases, 44 deaths.
  • ​Polk: 42 cases, 1 death.
  • Sherman: 1 case.
  • Tillamook: 6 cases.
  • ​Umatilla: 57 cases.
  • Union: 4 cases.
  • Wallowa: 1 case.
  • Wasco: 13 cases, 1 death.
  • ​Washington: 500 cases, 11 deaths.
  • Yamhill: 39 cases, 7 deaths.

Source: Oregon Health Authority