April 27, 2020

Union County remains at four confirmed cases of COVID-19. Wallowa County remains with one confirmed case. This morning, the total number of positive cases reported by Oregon Health Authority was 2,354 and 92 deaths.

Today, the Board of Trustees (BOT) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) approved a resolution extending the Stay Home Order on the Umatilla Reservation and its entities through June 1, 2020. “We will continue to battle for public health resources and protections for our people. We continually remind our federal and state partners that the coronavirus is especially dangerous for high risk Tribal populations. At home, we must remain vigilant in protecting our Tribal community. Many have diabetes, lung or heart disease and continue to be high risk along with our elders,” said BOT Chair Kat Brigham. “Cases continue to grow in Umatilla County and there are more than 500 cases in our surrounding ceded lands.”

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has added six additional COVID-19 symptoms to its original list of fever, cough and shortness of breath. The additional symptoms are muscle pain, headache, chills, repeated shaking with chills, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell. Additional information regarding COVID-19 symptoms can be located on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/…/2019-n…/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html. If you aren’t sure if you need to seek medical attention, you are encouraged to call your primary care physician.
Umatilla National Forest announced free personal-use firewood cutting to the general public from May 1 through June 1, 2020. This temporary authorization is intended to provide the public firewood cutting opportunities, while still complying with the regulations set forth by the Governors by limiting face-to-face interactions associated with issuing and managing permits. These free authorizations are valid for cutting up to 4 cords of personal-use firewood. The authorization packets are limited to one per person and only individuals that are 18 years or older may participate in the free personal use firewood program. For specific forest information and firewood cutting guidelines please contact one of the Umatilla National Forest offices listed below or visit the website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla.
• Supervisor’s Office (541) 278-3716
• North Fork John Day Ranger District (541) 427-3231
• Heppner Ranger District (541) 676-9187
• Walla Walla Ranger District (509) 522-6290
• Pomeroy Ranger District (509) 843-1891