Jackson County sees 'shocking' increase in COVID-19 cases

MEDFORD, Ore. – Health officials continue to urge Jackson County residents to get vaccinated and wear masks amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Yesterday, there were 416 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Jackson County.

Health Promotion Manager for the county, Tanya Phillips, said, “Having 416 cases to report in one day was shocking. Last fall, weekly-record high total cases were in the 400-500 range; we didn’t see daily case counts reach this level.”

Jackson County Public Health said over 1,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week.

Because of the sheer number of cases, public health officials are asking people who test positive to self-isolate for two weeks and notify all close contacts they’ve had. JCPH may not be able to keep up with contact tracing on its own.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to avoid getting sick and spreading the virus, public health officials said. Wearing a mask, washing your hands, staying at home, and limiting the size of gatherings are all ways to stop the spread.

Starting Friday, masks are once again required in all public indoor spaces, per Governor Kate Brown’s executive order.