The Oregon Health Authority reported that Oregon’s first three cases of the new Omicron-variant COVID-19 have been confirmed in two northern Oregon counties Monday, December 13th.
A fully vaccinated Multnomah County resident in their 20s, tested positive for the Omicron-variant COVID-19 on December 7th. The individual had traveled internationally to Canada prior to symptom onset.
On December 9th, a Washington County resident in their 20s, who was also fully vaccinated, tested positive for the Omicron-variant COVID-19.
Also, on December 9th, a second fully vaccinated Washington County resident in their 30s, tested positive for the Omicron-variant COVID-19 after the individual traveled internationally to Mexico prior to symptom onset.
“It was only a matter of time before we identified the first case of the Omicron variant in Oregon,” said Governor Kate Brown. “As we continue to learn more about this new variant, we know the measures that are most effective in helping to keep ourselves and our families safe from Omicron, Delta, and other COVID-19 variants: get vaccinated, get your booster, and wear a mask. That’s the key to saving lives and keeping our businesses, schools, and communities open. If you aren’t yet vaccinated or need a booster dose, get an appointment or find a walk-in vaccine clinic in your area today.”
“On December 1st, when the first case was reported in the United States, we shared that it was a matter of ‘when,’ not ‘if,’ the Omicron variant of COVID-19 would be detected in Oregon,” said Dean E. Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at Oregon Health Authority.
“We recognize this news is concerning to many people. However, if history is our guide, we do know that even if a vaccine doesn’t target a specific variant, the strong immune response you get from being fully vaccinated can still be highly protective against severe disease from all COVID-19 variants,” he said.
Sidelinger said OHA and its laboratory partners will continue to monitor the spread of Omicron in Oregon with robust individual-level and community-level variant surveillance.
Oregon ranks 11th nationwide in the proportion of all specimens sequenced during the pandemic. Those efforts include sequencing of positive COVID-19 specimens at the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory, through academic laboratories, including those at Oregon Health & Science University and University of Oregon, and at several commercial laboratories statewide; and sequencing of wastewater samples in more than 40 communities statewide through a collaboration with Oregon State University’s TRACE program.
Sidelinger added that “it can’t be emphasized enough that vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19 infection and transmission, including most circulating variants,” along with other protective measures, including wearing masks indoors and in crowded outdoor settings, physically distancing from others, washing hands regularly and staying home when sick.
