Wallowa County had seven more cases of COVID-19 reported on Thursday, Aug. 12, on a day the Oregon Health Authority reported the highest one-day total during the pandemic of 2,387. The total in the county is now 280. 

Another record was reported Thursday, with 670 people hospitalized at the time of the report due to COVID-19 — the highest reported total to date. Hospitals in Region 9 in Oregon — which includes Wallowa County — had 26 people hospitalized with COVID-19, matching Wednesday’s regional high mark. There are 25 ICU hospital beds in the region, and all but two are currently in use, though it’s unknown how many in ICU are COVID-19 patients. 

Statewide, there are 177 COVID-19 patients in ICU, accounting for 30.5% of all patients in ICU. There are only 83 ICU beds still available statewide.

There were nine new deaths associated with the virus, including one of the youngest to date — a 19 year-old from Union County, who is the fourth individual under 20 from Oregon to die with the virus.

Vaccination totals increased in Thursday’s report to more than 9,000 new shots, the highest total reported by OHA in several weeks. Currently, more than 2.34 million people in Oregon have completed a series of the COVID-19 vaccine, getting both shots of either Pfizer or Moderna, or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson.

Wallowa County’s vaccination rate has crept up to 49.8% of all residents, and 59.6% of those 18 and older.