COVID-19 hospitalizations are declining in Oregon, but a significant percentage of the state's ICU beds are still taken up by COVID-19 patients.Mike Zacchino/KDRV Newswatch 12/Pool.

The strain on Oregon hospitals caused by the highly transmissible COVID-19 variant has already started to ease, according to data provided by the Oregon Health Authority.

And a new forecast from Oregon Health & Science University concludes that the drop-off in hospitalizations will continue.

The effects of herd immunity for the delta variant are likely to take hold when about 85% of the population carries immunity from vaccination or recent infection, and that’s within sight in Oregon, Graven said.

While Oregon COVID-19 cases have been trending down overall since early September, a significant number of the state’s intensive-care beds are still being taken up by coronavirus patients.