Oregon, once a virus success story, struggles with surge

By ANDREW SELSKY and SARA CLINE
Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon was once the poster child for limiting the spread of the coronavirus, after its Democratic governor imposed some of the nation’s strictest safety measures, including mask mandates, limits on gatherings and an order closing restaurants. But now the state is being hammered by the super-transmissible delta variant, and hospitals are getting stretched to the breaking point. Oregon is among a handful of states, including Florida, Arkansas and Louisiana, that have more people hospitalized with COVID-19 than ever before. Only 39 adult ICU beds were available statewide on Friday. About 1,500 National Guard troops have been deployed to help hospitals around the state.