Oregon Governor Kate Brown has taken Wasco County off of the state’s COVID-19 watch list.  Brown made the announcement in a statement released Thursday.  Both Wasco and Marion counties have been removed from the watch list.  Wasco County data for the week ended August 9 had shown a substantial decrease in most COVID-19 metrics.  Wasco County Commissioner Scott Hege says he’s happy the county is off the list, but at the same time that doesn’t mean they can let down in COVID prevention efforts.  Hood River County remains one of eight counties on the list.  It had been placed there three weeks ago.  Jackson County was added to the list that also includes Baker, Jefferson, Malheur, Morrow, Multnomah, and Umatilla counties.  Counties are placed on the watch list when public health officials cannot trace COVID-19 spread to specific sources, and the Oregon Health Authority is to increase monitoring and communication, and deploy additional technical assistance and resources.