44% of active outbreaks in Lane County come from long-term care facilities

County is dealing with 73 active outbreaks right now -- more than half from long term care facilities.

We begin our team coverage with kezi 9 news reporter jillian smukler -- to explain how this is affecting our entire community.

Jillian?

Matt -- renee -- long term care facilities make up forty four percent of the active outbreaks in our area.

And four out of the five deaths reported*today*alone -- are connected to known outbreaks.

Health officials say most of the last 15 or 20 deaths are connected to outbreaks in long term care facilities.

Jason davis with lane county public health says -- when the virus makes its way into one of those facilities -- we can expect to see deaths -- and that's exactly what's happening.

For reference -- an active outbreak in a care facility, senior living community and congregate living setting means there are 3 or more cases there -- or one or*more death.

Avamere riverpark of eugene has recorded the*most cases in lane county -- with 114 to date.

It also has the most covid-19 related deaths -- with 5.

Many long term care workers say this*isn't surprising given the virus is so easily brought into these communities.

A large part of it is that you have people living and working in close proximity and the idea and purpose behind long term care is the people residing there need assistance and care and there's no way to provide that care from six feet away but -- she's hopeful a vaccine will*protect the elderly and those who*care for them -- and help prevent the outbreaks.

They're encouraging everyone at their facility to get the vaccine when it's available -- but they're waiting to see if d-h-s will make it a requirement.

Once fi-zer gets the green light for its vaccine..

Vaccinations would start soon after.

It would be given to frontline health care workers and support staff first, along with residents of long term care facilities.

Reporting live in eugene jillian smukler