Press Release from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
For immediate release: March 26, 2020
Contacts:
Carrie Sampson-Samuels, Public Information Officer – Public Health, (541) 240-8728
Jiselle Halfmoon, Public Information Officer – Tribal Governance, (541) 969-4801
CTUIR Command Incident Command Status Update
MISSION, Ore. – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Incident Command Team (ICT) is working on several plans to ensure the safety of the entire community. The ICT continues to monitor and manage the emerging situation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a very serious situation with Tribal, Local, National and International implications. As this situation progresses, it increasingly appears that COVID-19 is now in the greater population, so taking immediate measures to slow its spread are imperative – especially to vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations include people above 60 years of age, people who may be immunocompromised or other chronic conditions such as lung disease, heart disease and diabetes.
The ICT will share information on a frequent and regular basis as quickly as decisions are made. They have reviewed and considered all recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) as they become available, however, the CTUIR has the authority to choose how the guidance is used in our community.
As of 8:00am today, Oregon now has a total of 316 people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, after the Oregon Health Authority announced 50 new cases of the novel coronavirus.
OHA is reporting new cases in the following counties: Clatsop (1), Deschutes (5), Josephine (2), Lane (2), Linn (1), Marion (14), Multnomah (12), Polk (3), Tillamook (1), Wasco (1) and Washington (8). Additionally, the Oregon Health Authority reported that COVID-19 has claimed one more life in Oregon, raising the state’s death total to eleven.
Additionally, at 4:00PM today, Umatilla County Health reported a new positive case of COVID-19 in Umatilla County. This new case brings the Umatilla County positive cases of COVID-19 to four.
Current CTUIR guidelines/updates as of March 26, 2020 at 5:00pm are as follows:
- The Pendleton School District will be at the Mission Community Gym tomorrow from 11:30AM – 12:30PM distributing five weeks of homework packets for students in grades Kindergarten through 5th
- Mission Market is temporarily suspending public access inside the store. Grocery items and a limited menu of deli items are available through the take-out window. Customers can call ahead to 541-276-9082 to order items for pick-up, request mail from a Post Office Box, or request service at the fuel pumps.
- Yellowhawk has been resupplied by IHS with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our medical and first responders.
- Armand Minthorn shared a message to the community that can be heard at least every other hour at the top of the hour on KCUW 104.3FM or online at https://soundcloud.com/kcuwradio.
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation is made up of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes, formed under the Treaty of 1855 at the Walla Walla Valley, 12 statute 945. In 1949, the Tribes adopted a constitutional form of government to protect, preserve and enhance the treaty rights guaranteed under federal statute.
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