Multnomah County, Ore. (Aug. 19, 2023) — The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Program on Saturday, Aug. 19, reported it is investigating a suspected heat death associated with this month’s heat emergency.
The individual died in north Portland, the medical examiner’s office said. The death was reported to the medical examiner’s office on Friday, Aug. 18.
No other details are being reported at this time.
It is the sixth death suspected of being heat-caused during the August heat emergency. The Medical Examiner is also investigating five other suspected heat deaths: Monday, Aug. 14, in southeast Portland; Tuesday, Aug. 15, in a Portland hospital, Wednesday, Aug. 16, in northeast Portland, and two deaths reported Friday, Aug. 18, in northeast Portland.
All six deaths reported by the Medical Examiner are considered preliminary suspected cases and are under investigation as potential heat-related deaths.
It can take weeks to months to finalize cause and manner of death as further tests and investigation will determine whether the deaths are officially heat-related. The County will update this information as it becomes available.