KWSO News for Fri., Aug, 20, 2021

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown says all teachers, educators, support staff and volunteers in K-12 schools must be vaccinated against COVID-19. Hospitals across Oregon are near capacity, and some don’t even have any intensive care unit beds available. In the western Oregon town of Roseburg, a COVID-19 patient died in a hospital emergency department while waiting for an ICU bed. Teachers are the latest to be added to the growing statewide vaccine mandate, which also includes health care workers and state employees. They must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or six weeks after a COVID-19 vaccine receives full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, whichever is later.

Oregon once again set a new record for daily COVID-19 cases on Thursday with 2,971 new cases. The daily report brings the state’s total to 250,835 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, according to the Oregon Health Authority. There are currently 845 COVID-19 patients hospitalized. Of those, there are 226 people in Intensive Care Unit beds. Bed availability both in and out of the ICUs across Oregon is dwindling.  As of this morning, there are 41 available adult ICU beds out of 667 total (6% availability) and 310 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,182 (7% availability).

The Confederated tribes of Warm Springs will be recognizing the nullification of the fraudulent treaty of 1865 today. A Bill was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden in 2019 to formally and finally nullify the fraudulent treaty with the Confederated tribes of Warm Springs and clearly validate the 1855 treaty. The treaty of 1855 established the tribes’ reservation and preserves hunting, fishing, and gathering rights.

The Bull Complex burning north of Detroit has grown this week, reaching 5,761 acres as of Thursday morning. The fire, burning in a remote part of the Bull of the Woods Wilderness, is about five miles from Brighten-bush and 10 miles from Detroit. It was estimated at just 800 to 900 acres last week and 3,000 acres over the weekend. Ignited by lightning in early August, several separate fires have now merged into one larger blaze known simply as the Bull Complex. There are 333 personnel currently on the containment effort, as well as two helicopters, eight engines and two dozers.

Yesterday, Oregon National Guard members arrived in town, St. Charles Bend was caring for the highest number of COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic. Assigned to Central Oregon, the guard members are here to relieve overtaxed medical professionals who have been plagued by surging cases and not enough workers. They will help with logistics, stocking supplies, screening patients and visitors, preparing food and assisting patients in roles that do not require a medical license, according to St. Charles Health System.