North Central Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell told Wasco County Commissioners on Wednesday that the County experienced over 500 diagnosed COVID-19 cases in August, the highest monthly total for the pandemic by a substantial amount.  McDonell said hospitalized cases remained the biggest worry.  She told Commissioners that Oregon’s Region 6 hospitals, which are made up of Mid-Columbia Medical Center and Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital, are seeing larger numbers of COVID patients in beds than they have seen at any time previously, with fourteen checked in at the present time.  65.1 percent of Wasco County residents over the age of 18 have been vaccinated against COVID-19.  McDonell said people who are unvaccinated are 29 times more likely to be hospitalized by COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated.