Oregon Gov. Kate Brown hits pause on lifting coronavirus restrictions with infections on the rise

Gov. Kate Brown announced Thursday evening that she has put all applications for further reopening across the state on hold for at least seven days after seeing a “concerning” increase in coronavirus infections.

The announcement came on the night many Portlanders had hoped to receive news of a Phase 1 reopening in Multnomah County, the last of the state’s 36 counties to loosen restrictions.

“In order to ensure that the virus is not spreading too quickly, I am putting all county applications for further reopening on hold for seven days," Brown said in a statement released around 7:15 p.m. Thursday. "This is essentially a statewide ‘yellow light.’ It is time to press pause for one week before any further reopening.“

Brown said she hoped the seven-day hiatus will give public health officials time to investigate what has caused the increases and whether her reopening plans should be adjusted.

“I will work with doctors and public health experts to determine whether to lift this pause or extend it or make other adjustments,” she said.

Oregon recorded another all-time high in COVID-19 infections reported in a single day on Thursday with 178 cases, which brought the state’s total to 5,237. Two more Oregonians died from the virus, bringing Oregon’s death toll to 171.

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