KWSO News for Wed., Jun. 17, 2020

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Covid-19 update yesterday afternoon reported that the number of positive test results for the reservation remain at 50 – with 42 people having recovered.  There have been 813 tests conducted with 35 tests pending results.  Testing capacity is good with 337 STATE test kits and 383 ABBOTT rapid result test kits.  Random surveillance testing of high-risk community members continues along with a broader surveillance of Tribal employees.

COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 182, the Oregon Health Authority reported early yesterday.  There were 278 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 6,098.  Those numbers are consistent with a recent trend of more cases in the state. The increase in cases is due to workplace outbreaks as well as potential spread in the community, not tied to a known case.

Oregon Health & Science University is working on a new approach to studying the spread of COVID-19 after health-care experts from the state’s communities of color raised concerns that the original project’s design was flawed by racial biases. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the Key to Oregon study, a project by Oregon Health & Sciences University and the Oregon Health Authority, aims to survey 100,000 Oregonians and monitor them for COVID-19. One of the original goals was to recruit large numbers of participants from communities of color, to help identify outbreaks in those areas.  The decision to redesign the study came after several community leaders wrote to OHSU detailing their concerns

Gov. Kate Brown said Tuesday she will convene a special legislative session next week to address the state’s COVID-19 pandemic and to improve police accountability following weeks of protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Brown said the session would start June 24. And, in a statement, Brown said she will likely call for a second special session later in the summer to address the huge budget hit coronavirus limitations on businesses and spending. Last month state economists said Oregon faces an 11% drop in revenue from the previous biennium as the coronavirus pandemic triggered a shutdown order and a consequent drop in tax payments.

A reminder that if you haven’t already completed your census questionnaire for your household – you should get it done by this Friday so you can take advantage of the Warm Springs Complete Count Committees THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR CENSUS FORM happening at the Community Center, the Seekseequa Fire Hall, and the Simnasho Longhouse between 11am & 2pm.  There will be lunch and a thank you gift.  One gift per vehicle – one gift per household.  You can fill out your paper census form and mail it back in the envelope provided or do your census online at my 2020 census dot gov.  There will be a second thank you event on Friday June 26^th as Warm Springs people are encouraged to get their census done.