Coronavirus in Oregon: 195 new cases, 2 deaths as state launches early detection system - OregonLive

The Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday reported 195 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths as the state announced the launch of an early detection system to monitor spread through sewage.

Researchers at Oregon State University have been awarded a $1.2 million grant from the state to monitor wastewater for coronavirus for 30 months at 43 locations outside the Portland metro area.

The prevalence of infections: State officials reported 176 new confirmed infections out of 3,197 people tested, equaling a 5.5% positivity rate.

Who got infected: New confirmed or presumed infections grew among the following age groups: 0-9 (16); 10-19 (19); 20-29 (39); 30-39 (28); 40-49 (26); 50-59 (23); 60-69 (15); 70-79 (10); 80 and older (11).

Who’s in the hospital: The state Wednesday reported 114 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections are currently in the hospital, up eight from Tuesday.

Since it began: Oregon has reported 29,850 confirmed or presumed infections and 521 deaths, among the lowest totals in the nation.