Connect with us

Uncategorized

Health officers urge people with COVID-19 to call close contacts, not wait for overwhelmed contact tracers

Published

on

Public health officers are urging Portland area residents who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 to reach out “right away” to anyone they’ve been in close contact with, including employers, and encourage them to take steps to quarantine or isolate, effectively having Oregonians conduct their own contact tracing program.

The top health officers in the metro area made that plea Tuesday, saying that the region’s contact tracing workforce is unable to perform those duties in a timely manner as coronavirus cases continue to increase at a torrid pace.

Multnomah County’s contact tracers are reaching “about half” of confirmed cases reported in the county right now, said Dr. Jennifer Vines, the lead health officer for the tri-county region.

That suggests more than 1,120 people living in Oregon’s most populous county haven’t been interviewed about their close contacts in the past week, nor in all likelihood have those close contacts learned from county officials they’ve been exposed and instructed to stay home to prevent spreading the virus to others.

“This is new,” Vines said of the urgent message to have COVID-positive Oregonians notify close contacts themselves, calling it, “the right thing to do” to help slow transmission.

Earlier this month, health officers acknowledged they were struggling to keep up with the record-setting rise in COVID-19 infections in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties, with cases in the past week now averaging above 600 a day, more than double from three weeks ago. The state is nearly one week into a partial shutdown ordered by Gov. Kate Brown in an attempt to tamp down the virus’ spread and prevent hospitals, which are seeing record numbers of COVID-19 patients, from being overrun.

But until now health officials hadn’t been so explicit about their inability to conduct contact tracing, and the messaging still remains a bit murky. Across the Washington border, in Clark County, health officials were far more direct Monday, saying not everyone who is infected will be interviewed for contact tracing.

“Those cases who are not reached within two days of the positive test result,” Clark County officials said in a news release, “will not likely receive a call from Public Health.”

You may also like…

Crime & Safety4 hours ago

Woman who told a friend that her husband’s both chiIdren died the exact same way, after the 3-year-old stopped breathing while being forced to sit in a trash bag and her sibIing while sitting in the backseat of the vehicIe, was sentenced

Colorado – A Colorado woman was sentenced to two consecutive Iife terms without the possibiIity of paroIe on Wednesday, after being...

Crime & Safety4 hours ago

Woman told poIice she confronted her famiIy member to tell him to stop bothering her before she kiIIed the eIderIy man when he told her to get out of his sight and started waIking away from her; charged

Florida – A Florida woman was taken into custody earlier this week and charged with first-degree murder and discharging a...

Crime & Safety1 day ago

Man threw his girIfriend’s chiId out the door like a bag after the 5-year-old refused to do chores or waIk back and forth outside in the severe heat, causing him to Iose consciousness and later die at the hospitaI: DA

Nebraska – According to Nebraska authorities, a newIy fiIed search warrants have revealed detaiIs about the aIIeged abuse suffered by...

Crime & Safety1 day ago

Mon told poIice his girIfriend’s former spouse was foIIowing him and attempted to confront him on two separate occasions before he fataIIy stabed the man foIIowing a physicaI aItercation he cIaims the victim initiated; charged

Texas – A Texas man, 31-year-old J. Dogget, 31, was arrested earlier this week and charged with murder following the...

Eugene5 days ago

Eugene opens 56 new permanent supportive housing units downtown at Bridges on Broadway to serve residents experiencing chronic homelessness

Eugene, OR – Eugene has added 56 new units of permanent supportive housing to help residents experiencing chronic homelessness. Homes...

Eugene5 days ago

License plate reader alert leads Eugene Police to arrests after early-morning attempted vehicle break-ins

Eugene, OR – On August 22 at 3:01 a.m., a license plate reader camera alerted Eugene Police officers to a...

Eugene5 days ago

Eugene Springfield Fire deployed resources to Flat Fire near Sisters, supporting Lane County task forces

Eugene, OR – Eugene Springfield Fire (ESF) deployed two brush engines to the Flat Fire near Sisters as part of...

Crime & Safety1 week ago

SchooI counseIor who encouraged the minor student she was indcently assauIting for years to hide the lnappropriate reIationship by telling the girl, “If she tells anyone, she will take her own life,” was charged

Colorado – A Colorado schooI counseIor was taken into custody last week and is now facing multiple felony charges related to...

Crime & Safety1 week ago

Man who kiIIed his girIfriend carrying their unborn baby several days after the victim told her sister that he threw her on the floor, strangIed her, and if anything happened to her, it was because of him, was charged

Massachusetts – A Massachusetts man has been arrested and charged with the murder of his girIfriend, K. Montero. The young...

Eugene1 week ago

Red Flag Warning issued for Southern Willamette Valley Thursday afternoon

Eugene, OR – A Red Flag Warning has been issued from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, August 21, for...

Eugene1 week ago

Eugene Police SWAT assists federal firearms trafficking investigation

Eugene, OR – Just after 6 a.m. on August 19, 2025, Eugene Police SWAT provided assistance to the Bureau of...

Trending