New Cases, New Deaths From COVID-19
Lane County Public Health announced the results from last week’s free COVID-19 testing in Florence and reported that 187 tests were conducted. There was one positive test result, but Lane County Public Health’s Jason Davis said that person was from Lincoln County and came to Florence for the free test. There are now 244 known coronavirus cases in Lane County, with 16 new cases reported this morning. One person is hospitalized in the county, and there are 65 people that are considered infectious. The total number of Lane County Tests administered is near 27 thousand. Statewide Oregon has 218 new confirmed cases along with 5 new deaths to report. All 5 had underlying health conditions and ranged from 58 to 93 years of age. Two were from Marion County, and one from Linn, Yamhill, and Multnomah.
Mask Etiquette
While wearing a mask can feel restrictive, the Oregon Health Authority is offering a few tips on how to safely wear a mask. Never reuse disposable masks, they should be discarded after use and cloth masks should be cleaned daily and never worn wet. Make sure masks are completely dry before donning them. And be careful not to touch your nose, eyes, or mouth when putting one on or taking one off.
Advisory Council Formed
Governor Kate Brown’s Healthy Schools Reopening Council held its first virtual meeting on Tuesday. The council was formed to advise the Governor and the Oregon Department of education as school districts develop their reopening strategies. Brown says she would like to see classes reopen, but if the number of cases continue to rise the state will be forced to resort to extended periods of remote instruction throughout the year. Brown says July will likely be the turning point for or against reopening schools. She is encouraging people to continue to wear face coverings and practice safe distancing and avoid large gatherings.
Gas Prices Jump
The average price of a gallon of regular gas in Florence jumped 7 cents this past week to $2.46 a gallon. Prices range from $2.29 a gallon to $2.59 a gallon depending on where you shop. The state average has ticked up 2 cents to $2.61 a gallon. With the increase in price, Marie Dodds with AAA Oregon says the traffic volume across the state has decreased over the last year by 13 percent for weekday travel and over 20 percent for weekend travel.
