Twelve OHSU Hospital staff have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the hospital’s president.

As of Sunday, the 12 were out of 846 nurses, doctors and other staff who were tested, President Danny Jacobs said Monday during a press conference thrown by health care unions to emphasize the shortage of of the masks, gloves, gowns and other safety equipment needed to protect them from contracting the virus.

A spokesperson for the hospital said that the 12 came from across the institution, declining to specify which departments.

The number illustrates the importance of adequate personal protective equipment, Jacobs said, because it could rise.

“People are our priority,” Jacobs said. “Our workforce deserves more.”

OHSU Hospital has ramped up its in-housing coronavirus testing in the last two weeks, which could account for part of the spike.

Employees at OHSU Hospital have been able to access drive-through testing if they had symptoms of coronavirus. Weeks ago, a hospital spokeswoman said leaders hoped to expand that capacity.

OHSU Hospital sends out the number of people tested and how many cases are positive or negative daily. Monday, Jacobs said that the hospital has 21 COVID-19 patients, with 18 of those tested on site. Six are currently hospitalized.

On March 16, the hospital had only one patient with confirmed COVID-19, but had tested 23 others and were waiting on results.

The gathered public officials on the conference call included Gov. Kate Brown, Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici. When asked how many health care workers statewide have tested positive or are suspected-positive, none had an answer.

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com | 503-294-5923 | @MollyHarbarger

-- Jeff Manning

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