MEDFORD, Ore. — Public health officials in Jackson and Josephine held a joint virtual press conference on Monday afternoon to discuss the rise in coronavirus cases across southern Oregon and explain how the two counties are working together.
Josephine County has identified 11 cases within the past week, while Jackson County reported 18 cases.
Contact tracing from many of the recent Rogue Valley cases have a culprit in common, officials said — a combination of travel and socializing without proper precautions. In some cases, people have traveled to the area from higher-risk states and then mingled with local groups, quickly spreading the virus.
Many of the most recent cases have been linked to just two private parties that took place the weekend before last, each with 15 to 30 participants. Contact tracing related to those parties is still under way.
That behavior has officials concerned about the coming Fourth of July holiday, they said. People are asked to wear masks properly, wash hands diligently, know who is in attendance for potential contact tracing, and have people bring their own food and beverages.
Jackson County health officer Dr. Jim Shames said that he does not advise social gatherings at all, particularly if proper precautions aren’t being followed.
Both counties anticipate a continued spike in cases. Over the past several weeks, new cases have skewed toward the younger population and there have been fewer hospitalizations — but that is likely to change. If cases to continue to spread, Dr. Shames said, there is a higher change that it will reach more vulnerable groups.
Josephine County health officer Dr. David Candelaria said that the new statewide mask requirement announced by Governor Brown on Monday has merit, and he hopes that people “adopt new behavior and not stay entrenched in old behavior.” Dr. Shames agreed, expressing his surprise at how few people are taking face coverings seriously.
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