(Portland, OR)  --  The COVID-19 Delta variant is causing a sharp spike in new coronavirus cases in Oregon.  The Oregon Health Authority says there was a 53-percent increase in new cases of COVID-19 last week.  The number of new hospitalizations more than doubled to 546, making it the fifth consecutive week of increases.  There were 46 deaths, which is six more than the previous week.  The number of positive tests increased to eleven-point-eight-percent.