Hood River County continues to be among the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in Oregon, but like other areas of the state it has seen an increase in cases in recent weeks. County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg said in a Thursday Facebook video that tracing shows many of the cases stem from a familiar source: large social and family gatherings. According to Oregon Health Authority statistics, 49 percent of Hood River County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with nearly 37 percent having completed their series and 13 percent in progress. Hood River County went into the high risk category in the state’s COVID-19 categories Friday.