OREGON STATE PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION
Office of the State Public Health Director
Kate Brown, Governor

July 9, 2020

800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 930
Portland, OR 97232
Phone: 971-673-1229
Fax: 971-673-1299

Sarah Poe, Local Public Health Administrator
Malheur County
1108 SW 4th Street
Ontario OR 97914
RE: Malheur County COVID-19 Community Mitigation Recommendations
Dear Ms. Poe:
Oregon Health Authority is following the impacts of COVID-19 in Malheur County with Public Health
Division staff in regular contact with Malheur County Health Department staff. There has been a 125
percent increase in new cases of COVID-19 in Malheur County over the last week with an uptrend in new
hospital admissions over the last two weeks. The percent of positive tests has increased to 20 percent in
the last week. While public health investigators have been able to initiate timely contact with individuals
with COVID-19, 46 percent of the cases could not be traced back to a specific exposure in the last week.
Malheur County had a sporadic case rate of 194 per 100,000 in the two weeks ending July 1. Some of
this community spread is due to social gatherings. To reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Malheur County,
I recommend the following be implemented immediately:
•
•
•

Restrict the size of gatherings to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
At gatherings, require individuals to maintain at least six feet of physical distance between
themselves and other individuals not from their household.
If not already required by the state guidance, face coverings should be worn by individuals
participating in indoor or outdoor gatherings.

We encourage the county to adopt and keep in place these recommendations for at least three weeks or
until the two week sporadic case rate falls below 50 per 100,000, whichever is longer.
Sincerely,

Dean E. Sidelinger, MD MSEd
Health Officer and State Epidemiologist
Oregon Health Authority
http://healthoregon.org/coronavirus