Oregon reports first coronavirus death

Oregon reported its first coronavirus death Saturday.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) said  in a press release that the victim was a man in his 70s from Multnomah County who was hospitalized at the Portland Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center. 

The man, who had underlying health issues, tested positive for the virus last week. He had no known connection to a confirmed case and had not traveled to a country where the virus is prominent. 

“While we knew we would arrive at this day at some point, it doesn’t lessen the impact,” OHA director Patrick Allen said in the release. “Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with the family of this individual who honorably served his country.”

The press release noted that the man was not associated with the cases at the Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon. 

“This is a sobering reminder that this virus is in our community and can be serious for older people and those with underlying conditions,” Multnomah County Health Officer Jennifer Vines said in the release. “This loss has motivated us to continue our efforts to minimize the impact of this virus on our community.”

The U.S. has recorded more than 3,200 cases and more than 60 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Twelve people have recovered.

Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 162,000 people and killed more than 6,000. More than 75,000 people have recovered from the virus mostly in China so far.