Oregon Health Authority: ‘We’re at a dire point in the pandemic in Oregon.’

Oregon is at a “dire point” in the pandemic, according to Oregon Health Authority director Pat Allen.

“COVID-19 is spreading dangerously quickly,” he told a weekly news briefing Friday. “Over the past week we’ve established new daily records for daily cases and deaths. We’re entering a new and critical stage in the battle against the virus.”

On Friday, the state reported yet another daily high of 1,306 COVID-19 cases.

“Virus stricken patients are filling our hospital beds in ever greater numbers. Oregon hospitals are facing a clear and present threat,” said Allen. “If we don’t get COVID-19 under control, the virus will swamp our hospitals with severely ill patients putting more lives at risk.”

With the warnings, the state is changing the way it tracks the virus. Up to now, officials have counted the number of people tested, because that’s how the infectious disease data is formatted.

Allen said Oregon will start counting the number of tests performed, rather than people tested. That’s because many people are tested multiple times if they work in the health care settings or as essential employees.

Senior OHA health advisor Dr. Melissa Sutton said the change allows Oregon to compare its performance with many other states.