Coronavirus Updates
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of April 13, 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Timeline
JOHN DAY — With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s announcement last month that it would be easing COVID-19 guidelines nationwide, the Blue Mountain Hospital District will no longer require masks in non-patient areas of its facilities. Read moreBlue Mountain Hospital will no longer require masks in non-patient areas
JOHN DAY — An uptick of COVID-19 cases in Grant County the past two weeks has yet to peak, according to the county’s top health administrator. Read moreCOVID surge continues in Grant County
JOHN DAY — An uptick of COVID-19 has Grant County’s top health official somewhat concerned, though she noted the county is seeing new cases at less than the statewide rate. Read moreGrant County health official says surge in case count not a surprise after holiday and graduation gatherings
SALEM — A smeared barcode on ballots in Oregon's third most populous county won't significantly delay Tuesday's primary election vote count, the state's top election official said Wednesday, May 11. Read moreFagan says blurry ballots in major battleground county won't cripple primary vote count
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of April 13, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for April 14, 2022: Grant County cases show uptick
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of April 7, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for April 7, 2022: Grant County case counts dropping
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of March 23, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for March 23, 2022: No new outbreaks in county, but 20 fresh cases
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of March 16, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for March 16, 2022: Another week without an outbreak
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of March 9, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for March 9, 2022: No new outbreaks or hospitalizations
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Feb. 24, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Feb. 24, 2022: A day without COVID
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Feb. 16, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Feb. 16, 2022: Two school outbreaks resolved
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Feb. 10, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Feb. 10, 2022: Small outbreak reported at Seneca School
Grant County residents can begin receiving free at-home COVID-19 tests. Read moreFree at-home COVID-19 tests available next week
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Feb. 2, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Feb. 2, 2022: No new outbreaks this week
Grant County's Health Department, Community Health Improvement Coalition, and Strawberry Wilderness Clinic will send out COVID-19 home testing kits later this week. Read moreGrant County set to receive free COVID testing kits this week
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Jan. 26, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Jan. 26, 2022: New health care, school outbreaks reported; clinic, care center outbreaks grow
JOHN DAY — City Manager Nick Green is on his way out. Read moreNick Green resigning from John Day city manager post
MONUMENT — Monument School District will transition from in-person instruction to distance learning for the week of Jan. 24, Superintendent Laura Thomas announced in a news release on Friday, Jan. 21. Read moreMonument School goes to distance learning
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Jan. 20, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Jan. 20, 2022: Care center outbreak grows
JOHN DAY — COVID-19 has claimed another life in Grant County, public health officials announced on Wednesday, Jan. 19, the same day the virus shattered the county’s single-day record with a staggering 41 new cases. Read moreGrant County reports 18th COVID-related death and record 41 coronavirus cases in a single day
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Jan. 12, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Jan. 12, 2022: Care center outbreak reported
JOHN DAY — As health officials continue to identify COVID-19 cases in Grant County, the county's health department will partner with the Oregon Health Authority and the Central Oregon Disability Network to offer free flu shots, COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 immunizations. Read moreCOVID testing, vaccines, and flu shots planned next week amid omicron surge
Surging COVID-19 case counts driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant appear to be impacting a number of Grant County health care facilities operated by the Blue Mountain Hospital District, with severe winter weather playing a role as well. Read moreRecord number of COVID-related hospitalizations straining Blue Mountain Hospital District
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Jan. 5, 2022. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Jan. 5, 2022: Clinic outbreak grows
CRANE — A state lawmaker from Eastern Oregon will look to trim the powers of state government during an emergency when the Legislature meets for a short session next month. Read moreState lawmaker seeks to limit governor's emergency powers
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Dec. 29, 2021. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Dec. 29, 2021: School, clinic outbreaks reported
As Gov. Kate Brown extended Oregon’s state of emergency due to the fast-spreading COVID-19 omicron variant, Grant County’s top health official weighed in on what the variant’s impact could be on the county. Read moreLocal officials brace for omicron
Editor’s note: The data for this update is current as of Dec. 22, 2021. Read moreWeekly COVID-19 update for Dec. 22, 2021: Omicron is here
JOHN DAY — With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s authorization of booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Grant County Health Department announced it would begin administering the jabs on Monday, Nov. 1. Read moreCOVID-19 booster shots available starting Monday, Nov. 1
HERMISTON — Not every company is feeling the employment pinch equally, according to some local construction companies and at least one economist. People at N.W. Crane Service Inc. and other companies say they are not having the same problems with staffing other industries. And when they do have personnel issues, they are not related to the pandemic. Read moreWhere are the workers: Satisfying work is among keys to avoiding employment problems
PORTLAND — One in five Oregon adults say they are not planning to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a new survey of Oregonians by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center. Read moreOne in five Oregonians not planning to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to new survey
Seven more people in Grant County have been identified as being positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports seven more COVID-19 cases Thursday
Twenty-three more people in Grant County have been identified as being positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports 23 more COVID-19 cases Wednesday
Schools should cancel or curtail some extracurricular activities to help Oregon maintain what appears to be the beginning of a decline from record high numbers of COVID-19 infections, Gov. Kate Brown said Tuesday. Read moreBrown: Curtailing school activities could speed drop in COVID-19 cases
Seven more people in Grant County have been identified as being positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports seven more COVID-19 cases Thursday
Twenty more people in Grant County have been identified as being positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports 20 more COVID-19 cases Wednesday
Seventeen more people in Grant County have been identified as being positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports 17 more COVID-19 cases Tuesday
Tensions boiled over during the Grant School Board’s Aug. 25 meeting after the board appeared to violate Oregon public meetings law in a closed-door executive session and the district superintendent sent a letter warning parents that students refusing to wear masks would be referred to onlin… Read moreSchool board faces backlash for meeting, letter
LA GRANDE — As cases of COVID-19 continued to rise in Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown on Aug. 13 issued an emergency order to deploy nearly 1,500 Oregon National Guard soldiers throughout the state to help support hospitals. Read moreOnly one county in Eastern Oregon has received National Guard support at hospitals during COVID surge
The steep rise in COVID-19 cases that began in July could peak on Labor Day and begin a two-month decline, according to a new state report. Read moreCOVID-19 wave could peak by Labor Day but not end until near Halloween
Thirteen more people in Grant County have been identified as being positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports 13 more COVID-19 cases Thursday
The Grant County Health Department and the Blue Mountain Hospital will hold a COVID-19 testing clinic Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the hospital's emergency room parking lot at 170 Ford Road in John Day. Read moreGrant County to hold testing clinic for anyone presenting symptoms and close contacts of anyone who has tested positive in the last 14 days
Thirteen people in Grant County have tested positive for the coronavirus. Read moreGrant County reports 13 more positive cases
Gov. Kate Brown has expanded a mandatory mask order to include large outdoor gatherings as well well as indoor gatherings. Read moreMasks now required at outdoor events as COVID-19 swamps Oregon
Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley said it is not the role of his office to enforce the mandate that people wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Read moreMcKinley says it's not sheriff's office's role to enforce mask mandate
Ten people in Grant County have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last two days. Read moreTen more Grant County residents test positive for coronavirus
Facing a sharp surge in COVID-19 infections driven by the delta variant, Gov. Kate Brown Thursday ordered all K-12 educators, school staff and volunteers to be vaccinated, along with health care workers. Read moreTeachers and health care workers required to get COVID-19 vaccination, Brown orders
Four people in Grant County have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last two days. Read moreGrant County reports four positive COVID-19 cases in the last two days
Six people in Grant County have tested positive for the coronavirus. Read moreSix more Grant County residents test positive for the coronavirus
Gov. Kate Brown has extended a temporary halt to residential foreclosures through Dec. 31. Read moreBrown extends foreclosure moratorium one more time
Up to 1,500 National Guard troops will be sent to 20 Oregon hospitals to help medical staff deal with a surge of COVID-19 cases. Read moreBrown sending National Guard troops to hospitals to aid with COVID-19 outbreak
The COVID-19 delta variant is spreading so fast that that it will hit most of the state's unvaccinated population before the six weeks needed to be fully immunized if they were inoculated now. Read moreCOVID-19 could crush hospitals with 1,000 patients per day in September
Gov. Kate Brown ordered a statewide requirement to wear masks indoors beginning Friday in public places as state health officials worry the delta variant of COVID-19 is getting out of control. Read moreBrown orders return to statewide masking
SALEM — With COVID-19 cases surging across the state of Oregon, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday, Aug. 10, two new health and safety measures — a vaccination requirement for state employees and statewide indoor mask requirements, according to a press release from the governor’s office. Read moreBrown to announce new statewide measures to address rising COVID-19 hospitalizations
The faster, stronger delta variant of the coronavirus is causing soaring numbers of COVID-19 infections and sickness across Oregon, state statistics revealed Tuesday. Read moreCOVID-19 spike would have put most of Oregon under former 'extreme risk' rating
Two more Grant County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Read moreTwo more Grant County COVID-19 cases announced Wednesday
Oregon reported 2,056 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend, a surge driven by the highly contagious delta variant that swept from India to the United States since May. Read moreOregon COVID-19 spike will last into fall, projections say
Seven residents over the last week have tested positive for COVID-19 as the Grant County Health Department reported Tuesday a resident in the John Day ZIP code tested positive. Read moreOregon announces Grant County's $10,000 vaccine incentive winner
Grant School District’s superintendent is pushing for local control after Gov. Kate Brown said students in kindergarten through 12th grades would be required to wear masks to prevent COVID-19 in the upcoming school year. Read moreGrant superintendent urges local control after Gov. Brown's K-12 mask mandate
COVID-19 vaccination rates drop significantly outside of the Portland metro area, according to results of an Oregon Values and Beliefs Center survey. Read moreSurvey: Conservatives far more likely to decline COVID-19 vaccine
Gov. Kate Brown Friday morning ordered most state workers to immediately begin wearing masks indoors at state facilities and to require visitors to also mask up. Read moreGov. Brown orders masks worn inside state buildings immediately
A possible fifth wave of the COVID-19 is swelling in a pandemic-exhausted Oregon that less than a month ago seemed to be on the verge of recovery. Read moreNew surge of COVID-19 hitting exhausted Oregon
Four more Grant County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Read moreFour more people in Grant County test positive for the coronavirus
The highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant has caused a steep increase in the number of infections in Oregon — but with different impacts across the state. Read moreRapidly replicating delta variant's impact not equal across Oregon
A Grant County resident tested positive for COVID-19. Read moreA Grant County resident tested positive for the coronavirus
Oregon will lift pandemic limits in place for over a year no later than next week, Gov. Kate Brown said Friday. Read morePandemic restrictions will be lifted statewide by Wednesday
Another Grant County resident tested positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports a positive COVID-19 case Thursday
Another Grant County resident tested positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports a positive COVID-19 case
Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday announced what she said would be the last adjustments in the state's county COVID-19 infection risk levels. Read moreFinal COVID-19 risk levels announced as statewide opening nears
Oregon needs just over 65,000 more people to get their first COVID-19 vaccination shot for the state to lift most restrictions statewide. Read moreOregon 65,000 shots shy of lifting COVID-19 rules by July 4
Grant County’s state representative introduced legislation that would ban vaccine passports in Oregon. Read moreOwens introduces bill to ban vaccine passports
Oregon is about 90,000 people short of its goal to get at least one shot of vaccine into the arms of the state's eligible adults in order to lift most COVID-19 restrictions by June 25, state officials said Friday. Read moreBrown: 'Normalcy' in sight as state approaches vaccination goal, but gaps remain
With COVID-19 vaccination rates lagging behind the statewide average, Grant County leaders are offering $50 gift certificates and other prizes to people who roll up their sleeves to get the shot. Read moreCounty offering $50 gift certificates for COVID-19 vaccinations
Mike Nearman became the first state legislator to be expelled in Oregon's 162 years of statehood for his part in aiding anti-lockdown protesters, some of them armed, to breach the closed Capitol during a Dec. 21 special session of the Legislature. Read moreOregon House expels Rep. Nearman for role in Capitol breach
Another Grant County resident tested positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports another COVID-19 case
The seventh Grant County resident has died after contracting the coronavirus. Read moreSeventh COVID-19-related death reported in Grant County
Most Oregonians will see no change this week to local COVID-19 risk level restrictions as 30 counties retained their current tiers, Gov. Kate Brown said Tuesday. Read moreLittle risk level change as Oregon nears vaccination goal
Nearly all COVID-19 restrictions could be lifted in as early as two weeks, Gov. Kate Brown said Friday. Read moreBrown sets June 21 target to end COVID-19 limits in Oregon
A Grant County resident tested positive for COVID-19. Read moreGrant County reports positive COVID-19 case