COVID-19 cases in Oregon have jumped 54 percent in the last two weeks, prompting the state to move 15 counties to "extreme risk," the most severe level of restrictions, Gov. Kate Brown said April 28.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have also jumped 39 percent in the state in the last two weeks, according to data from The New York Times.
The county risk level change is effective April 30, with counties remaining in the "extreme risk" category for a maximum of three weeks. If local case rates drop, counties will be able to move to a lower risk level, the governor said. The high risk levels will also be reversed if COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state fall below 300, or the seven-day hospitalization percent average falls below 15 percent.
Indoor dining will be prohibited, while gyms, movie theaters and other buinesses will have to reduce capacity in "extreme risk" level counties.
"If we don't act now, doctors, nurses, hospitals and other healthcare providers in Oregon will be stretched to their limits treating severe cases of COVID-19," the governor said. "With new COVID-19 variants widespread in so many of our communities, it will take all of us working together to bring this back under control."
Health systems in the Portland area are following the coordinated system implemented at the start of the pandemic to manage hospital capacity over the next few weeks.
As of April 28, 29 percent of the state's population had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.