168 Oregonians vaccinated for COVID-19 have contracted virus; 3 died

EUGENE, Ore. - The Oregon Health Authority has identified 168 cases where vaccinated individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 - including 3 deaths.

Of the 168 cases, 27 were in the region that includes Lane, Douglas, Coos and Curry counties.

The state would not identify where the deaths happened.

According to the state, the "breakthrough" cases serve as "a reminder that while the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are all highly effective at preventing severe COVID-19 illness and death, no vaccine is 100% effective, and vaccine breakthrough cases will occur."

The breakthrough cases were reported in 25 of the state's 36 counties.

• Region 1: 76 cases
• Region 2: 29 cases
• Region 3: 27 cases
• Region 5: 9 cases
• Region 6: 4 cases
• Region 7: 17 cases
• Region 9: 6 cases

The case counts are current through April 2, the state said.

According to OHA:

Vaccine breakthrough cases are defined as instances in which an individual received a positive COVID-19 test result at least 14 days after the final dose of any COVID-19 vaccine series. Vaccine breakthrough cases can be prevented by basic public health interventions, such as masking, physical distancing and avoiding social gatherings.

The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon represents a very small proportion of the more than 700,000 people in Oregon who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Many of the vaccine breakthrough cases identified experienced asymptomatic infection and were tested for other reasons.

Eleven percent (n=19) of the vaccine breakthrough cases were hospitalized within the 30 days following their positive test, and most occurred in people older than 65 or with underlying health conditions.

The three deaths represent fewer than 2% of the vaccine breakthrough cases, and none of the vaccine breakthrough cases were associated with a COVID-19 variant.