Between Monday and Wednesday this week, 50 COVID-19 cases were reported to the Malheur County Health Department. An additional five have been reported for Thursday, with more expected before end of day. Like many other counties with low vaccination rates, this is likely a sign we are entering a surge in outbreaks and severe cases due to variants, like Delta, and low rates of protection from immunization. We want to make COVID-19 vaccination easy and accessible to everyone in Malheur County. Visit covidvaccine.oregon.gov or call our office at 541-889-7279 to schedule an appointment for anyone age 12 and older.

The Delta variant is more contagious than previous COVID-19 strains and may cause more than twice as many infections. To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public – even if you’re already vaccinated and are in an area of substantial or high COVID-19 transmission. If you’re not vaccinated against COVID-19, get vaccinated as soon as you can.

If you have even mild symptoms or have been around someone with symptoms or a confirmed case recently, please stay home and get tested. Find a test by visiting the OHA COVID-19 Testing page or call your local health care provider or pharmacy. 211 is also a great resource for testing, vaccine, health care, and other assistance. Visit the 211info website or call 211.

Visit our COVID-19 Cases page for more information on weekly monitored periods. Visit the Oregon Health Authority COVID-19 website and find more, including dashboards with county level data.