29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Jackson County

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Across the world, the number of cases of coronavirus reached one million Thursday.

In Jackson County, two more cases were recorded Friday morning bringing the total to 29.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. alone has recorded some 258,000 cases with about 9,400 recovering successfully so far.

“There’s a lot of people walking around who have very few symptoms or no symptoms or don’t think their symptoms match Covid-19,” said Dr. Jim Shames of Jackson County Health and Human Services.

Dr. Shames says so far data shows isolation is slowing the spread. However, he says we’re not out of the woods just yet.

“The peak of the disease burden for us as a community is likely at least a month out,” he said.

While there are currently no fatalities in Jackson County, of the 29 cases people in their seventies and sixties make up the highest percentage at 28 and 24 percent respectively.

The second highest is age groups in their twenties and fifties each at 14 percent.

But the data being collected is only from the testing of the sickest patients and some don’t develop severe symptoms.

While the elderly and people with underlying health conditions are the most at risk, Dr. Shames warns anyone can be affected and people should not ignore isolation orders.

He believes Oregon has done well to respond quickly and timely to stop the rapid spread of the virus.

“May, June, July comes around and you look around and you say, ‘Wow that wasn’t so bad,'” said Dr. Shames. “I’d say that’s a measure of our success, certainly not the fact that we misread the data.”

Jackson County health officials are now encouraging people going out in public to consider wearing masks. However, you should not buy medical surgical masks as those need to be saved for health care workers.


There are now nearly 30 cases of COVID-19 in Jackson County.

On the morning of April 3, Jackson County Public Health said there were three new cases in Jackson County, bringing the total to 29.

The age group with the highest percentage is 70-79, representing 28% of COVID-19 infections.

According to health officials, the cases are widely distributed across the county, demonstrating community spread.

Along with the latest report was guidance on face masks. According to Jackson County, the CDC is now recommending the use of masks in public.

The county said, “Dr. Jim Shames, Jackson County Health Officer, believes it would be beneficial for families to obtain 1 or 2 cloth facemasks for use out in public.  They can be washed when dirty and used over and over again. Jackson County Public Health is NOT recommending that you purchase manufactured surgical masks, please save them for the healthcare workers that rely on them for protection. According to Dr. Jim Shames, ‘When we both wear a face mask, I protect you and you protect me.”’

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