SALEM — Oregon hasn’t seen a coronavirus resurgence in the weeks since most counties began to slowly reopen, the state’s top health official said Wednesday.

Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen offered declining hospitalizations and infection rates as evidence that the spread of COVID-19 remains mild, even as new reported cases climbed slightly in recent days.

He also credited Oregonians for taking steps to reduce their risk of infection, such as wearing face coverings in public and continuing to practice social distancing.

“I think it’s safe to say our situation is stable,” Allen said during a news conference with Gov. Kate Brown. “As stores, salons and restaurants have reopened across the state, COVID-19 has not reemerged with renewed ferocity.”

The official assessment comes as other states around the U.S. — such as Texas, North Carolina and Wisconsin — have seen steady increases in coronavirus infections and deaths after lifting lockdowns imposed at the beginning of the outbreak.

That has yet to occur in Oregon after Brown allowed most counties to gradually resume public and economic activity on May 15. Twenty-six counties have applied to enter Phase 2 of the state’s reopening regimen starting Friday, which further eases restrictions.

Throughout the pandemic, Oregon has had one of the lowest infection and death rates in the country among known cases. While nearly 4,400 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since late February, recent projections estimate more than 20,000 — almost five times the number of identified cases — have been infected.

According to Allen, the number of people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections statewide fell from 161 to 102 in the last two weeks. It was over 300 in mid-April, state data shows.

Allen also said that a record 17,447 people tested for COVID-19 in the last week, and only 1.7% were found to be infected with the virus. Oregon’s positive test rate during the week of May 15 was 2.6%, Allen said, far lower than the 12% nationwide average.

“While many parts of the nation continue to struggle to test residents who are sick, Oregon is testing more people and more people who are actually well,” Allen said.

However, positive tests are on the rise.

Oregon’s rolling average for daily reported infections has been increasing slightly since bottoming out about two weeks ago.

Although on the upswing, identified infections remain relatively low at about 50 a day, equal to cases from late March.

Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state health officer and epidemiologist, told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Tuesday that any rise in infections makes him nervous.

But Sidelinger said recent increases are likely tied to more testing occurring now and also workplace outbreaks among people without symptoms, such as cannery workers at Townsend Farms in Fairview.

A review of case counts by the newsroom shows that more than three-quarters of new or presumed infections since May 15 are in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas and Marion counties – regions that have been among the last in the state to reopen.

Multnomah County, home to nearly 20 percent of the state’s population, remains under the governor’s stay-home order. It has applied to begin reopening June 12.

Oregon state and county health officials have long said they expect coronavirus infections to increase as more residents resume daily life.