Oregon
Oregon’s respiratory virus season predicted to remain mild compared to the past two years
Oregon’s 2023 to 2024 respiratory virus season has yielded less hospitalizations than the past two years and is predicted to remain relatively mild, according to Dr. Peter Graven, director of Oregon Health and Science University’s office of advanced analytics.
Since November, hospitalizations due to COVID-19, RSV and flu have been lower than he anticipated, and Oregon has had less cases and hospitalizations than most other states, Graven said.
Though hospitalizations are down from recent years, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention has said the numbers nationally remain higher than in the 2017 to 2018 season before the spread of COVID-19.
The respiratory illness season, which typically begins in November and runs through March, is marked by increased spread of respiratory viruses and hospitalizations due to illnesses such as COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza.
Graven has been putting out regular forecasts since March 2020 detailing past data and predicting respiratory virus cases and hospitalizations for the next month.
By predicting hospitalization rates, he can help medical facilities understand the potential risk for capacity challenges and give Oregonians an idea of what the likelihood of contracting a respiratory illness is.
While the respiratory illness season in Oregon has been mild so far this winter, Graven cautioned people to continue taking necessary steps to protect themselves and others, like staying up to date on vaccines, especially those who are at higher risk of developing serious complications.
“Cautiously, I’d say things look good, but that doesn’t mean it’s over yet,” said Graven.
COVID-19 less widespread in Oregon than in other states
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Oregon started increasing in mid-November 2023 and have continued to slightly increase since then, according to CDC data.
A peak occurred on Dec. 2, with 226 new COVID-19 hospitalizations. The majority of those hospitalized then were infected with the newest COVID-19 strain, JN.1.
JN.1 accounted for about 44% of all cases nationwide as of Dec. 23, according to the CDC. JN.1 appears to be more contagious than other recent strains but is not causing more serious illness.
COVID-19 hospitalizations and test positivity are much lower in Oregon than in most other states, but there is no clear explanation why, said Graven.
RSV hospitalizations in Oregon likely to stay lower than last year
RSV hospitalizations have increased in the past month but are not close to the record levels seen last year, CDC data shows.
In the week of Dec. 23, the rate of RSV hospitalizations in Oregon was 1.2 per 100,000 people, which is lower than the national average of 1.8.
Some states are having equivalent waves like last year, said Graven, but he does not expect RSV rates in Oregon to reach the point they were at last year when they peaked at 4.6 hospitalizations per 100,000 people.
The flu season has been mild so far in Oregon
Flu hospitalizations in Oregon also have increased in the past month, but hospitalization rates are relatively mild, said Graven.
There were less than 100 new flu hospital admissions in Oregon as of Dec. 27, though CDC forecasts predicts these numbers to increase throughout January.
Sydney Wyatt covers healthcare inequities in the Mid-Willamette Valley for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions, and tips to her at SWyatt@gannett.com, (503) 399-6613, or on Twitter @sydney_elise44
The Statesman Journal’s coverage of healthcare inequities is funded in part by the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, which seeks to strengthen the cultural, social, educational, and spiritual base of the Pacific Northwest through capacity-building investments in the nonprofit sector.
Oregon
Cruise ship rescues stranded mariner off Oregon coast
Watch video of high seas rescue off Oregon coast
A cruise ship, the Silver Whisper, rescued a Canadian man whose vessel broke down nearly 500 miles off the Oregon coast May 26.
A cruise ship rescued a Canadian man stranded on his boat nearly 500 miles of the Oregon coast on May 26, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The 74-year-old man, who the agency did not name, was sailing from Hawaii to British Columbia when his vessel ran into gale-force winds and 30-foot high waves. The 29-foot boat’s engine failed and the mast broke, injuring the man’s shoulder.
He’s made the same trip four times before, Coast Guard officials said, and had food, water, a life raft and a life jacket on board. The mariner used his handheld satellite communicator to contact the U.S. Coast Guard’s Northwest District, which the agency used to track him.
He was rescued 489 miles off the coast of Tillamook.
“This mariner’s experience and preparedness allowed the Coast Guard and other agencies to communicate with him and effect a rescue,” Coast Guard Northwest District Search and Rescue Program Manager Scott Giard said. “His foresight to bring a satellite communicator averted a tragedy.
Coast Guard officials deployed a C-27J cargo plane from Sacramento, California, to function as their “eye in the sky” as they coordinated the rescue because he was so far from the shore.
The plane assessed the state of the sea and the damage to the vessel. It was also equipped with life rafts, communication gear and rations that could sustain a survivor while responders coordinate the rescue, officials said.
Coast Guard officials contacted a cruise ship, the Silver Whisper, that went 120 off its charted course to rescue the stranded Canadian man. The Coast Guard found the Silver Whisper by tapping into its Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue system, a global network that tracks the positions of commercial ships that participate in the program.
Eder Campuzano is the local news editor for the Statesman Journal. He can can be reached at ecampuzano@statesmanjournal.com. Find him on Bluesky at @ederc.bsky.social or Threads @ederc.
Oregon
Oregon Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 4 results for May 29
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 29, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 29 drawing
19-24-47-59-65, Mega Ball: 07
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 29 drawing
1PM: 6-7-9-9
4PM: 4-3-8-0
7PM: 1-2-5-0
10PM: 3-9-9-3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
- Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Oregon
Oregon childhood vaccination rates fall to record low as exemptions reach new high
SALEM, Ore. (KATU) — Oregon’s childhood vaccination rates have fallen to their lowest levels on record, while the number of parents claiming nonmedical vaccine exemptions continues to climb, according to newly released data from the Oregon Health Authority.
The agency reported on Thursday that 85.6% of Oregon kindergarteners were up to date on required vaccines during the 2025-26 school year.
At the same time, the nonmedical exemption rate reached a record high of 10.9%.
State health officials say the trend is raising concerns about the potential for outbreaks of highly contagious diseases, including measles and whooping cough.
“Although the vast majority of families in Oregon are still choosing to protect families through vaccination, the downward trends are deeply concerning,” said Dr. Howard Chiou, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA. “We risk seeing the return of diseases such as measles and polio—diseases of the past that once caused widespread harm but are entirely preventable with vaccines.”
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The statewide numbers tell only part of the story.
According to OHA, more than one in three Oregon schools with at least 10 students have measles vaccination rates below 95%, the threshold public health officials say is needed to help prevent outbreaks through community immunity.
Chiou said those exemption rates, combined with lower vaccination coverage at some schools, are increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.
The concerns come as Oregon and the nation are seeing increases in vaccine-preventable diseases.
OHA says the nonmedical exemption rate for the second dose of the measles vaccine has nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from 4.9% to 9.4%.
The state also recorded 1,475 cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, in 2025, the highest total in 75 years.
What could happen if the trend continues?
Dr. Alanna Braun, a pediatrician at OHSU, said declining vaccination rates increase the likelihood of disease outbreaks.
“The thing that really stands out to me the most is just sort of the trend of just ongoing decreased immunization rates across our state and seeing how many schools here in Oregon are now at risk for major outbreaks of some really serious illnesses,” said Braun.
Braun said communities become more vulnerable when vaccination rates fall below the level needed to prevent the spread of disease.
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She noted that outbreaks can affect more than just unvaccinated students.
“A lot of kids have infant siblings at home who are not able to be vaccinated,” Braun said. “Certainly, there are kids in all of these schools who are unable to be vaccinated, kids who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. There are teachers who are immunocompromised for various reasons.”
Braun said the long-term outlook is concerning if vaccination rates continue to fall.
“As we’re seeing reduced rates of immunizations, I think it’s more and more likely that we are gonna see some of these preventable illnesses with more frequency,” she said.
What parents can do
OHA is encouraging parents to check vaccination rates at their child’s school and talk with their healthcare provider if they have questions about vaccines.
“We want to empower families to make informed decisions,” said Chiou. “We want parents to revisit and reconsider their decisions because the situation in Oregon has changed.”
Parents can view vaccination and exemption rates for individual schools using OHA’s School Immunization Data Dashboard.
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