SALT LAKE CITY – The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah rose by 2,612 on Wednesday, with 24 more deaths, according to the Utah Department of Health.
The health department estimates there were 55,558 active COVID-19 cases in Utah on Wednesday. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now 2,419, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that period is now 23.7%.
The new numbers indicate a 1% increase in positive cases since Tuesday. Of the 1,666,879 people tested for COVID-19 so far in Utah, 15.5% tested positive for COVID-19. Another 9,601 new people were tested for COVID-19 as of Wednesday, while a total of 17,391 more tests were conducted, state data shows.
There are now 560 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, state data shows. Of these, 198 occupied beds in intensive care in Utah as of Wednesday. According to the health department, about 90% of the total ICU beds in Utah are filled on Wednesdays, including about 92% of the ICU beds in the state’s 16 referral hospitals.
About 53% of non-IC hospital beds are now occupied in Utah.
A total of 11,380 COVID-19 vaccines have now been administered in Utah, up from 8,518 Tuesday, state data show. The number of vaccines shipped to Utah has more than tripled since Tuesday – there are now 75,200 doses in the state, compared to 25,000 on Tuesday. However, health officials say there is a reporting delay of up to seven days from when vaccines are shipped to Utah, administered to patients, and reported to the health department.
The 24 deaths reported Wednesday were:
- Two women in Utah County who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and lived in long-term care facilities
- A Salt Lake County woman over the age of 85 who was hospitalized when she died
- Two women in Salt Lake County who were over 85 and lived in long-term care facilities
- A Weber County woman over the age of 85 living in a long-term care facility
- Four women in Salt Lake County who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and were hospitalized when they died
- A woman from Tooele County who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Morgan County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Sanpete County who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Weber County who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when she died
- Three men from Salt Lake County, ages 65 to 84, were hospitalized when they died
- A Salt Lake County man between the ages of 45 and 64 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Davis County man over the age of 85 living in a long-term care facility
- A Weber County man over the age of 85 living in a long-term care facility
- A Salt Lake County man over the age of 85 who was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Utah County who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and were hospitalized when they died
- A Weber County man between the ages of 45 and 64 who was hospitalized when he died
Wednesday’s totals give Utah a total of 257,697 confirmed cases, with 10,327 total hospitalizations and 1,196 total deaths from the disease. A total of 200,943 Utah COVID-19 cases are now estimated to have been recovered, state data shows.
There is no press conference on COVID-19 scheduled for this week. The health department will not update the Utah COVID-19 statistics on Friday in view of the Christmas holidays.
Methodology:
The test results now include data from PCR tests and antigen tests. Positive COVID-19 test results will be reported to the health department immediately after being confirmed, but negative test results may not be reported for 24 to 72 hours.
The total number of cases reported by the Utah Department of Health each day includes all cases of COVID-19 since the Utah outbreak began, including those currently infected, those who have recovered from the disease, and those who have died .
Recovered cases are defined as anyone who was diagnosed with COVID-19 three or more weeks ago and has not died.
Referral hospitals are the 16 hospitals in Utah that can provide the best COVID-19 healthcare.
Deaths reported by the state usually occurred two to seven days before reporting, according to the health department. Some deaths can be even further back, especially if the person is from Utah but died in another state.
The health department reports both confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19 according to the case definition set forth by the Council of State and territorial epidemiologists. Death rates are subject to change as the investigation of the case is completed.
For deaths reported as COVID-19 deaths, the person would not have died if they had not had COVID-19, according to the health department.
The data in this story primarily reflects the state of Utah as a whole. Visit your local health district website for more localized information.
More information about Utah’s health guidelines is available at coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels.
Information is from the Utah Department of Health and coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts. For more information on how the Utah Department of Health collects and reports COVID-19 data, visit coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts and scroll down to the “Data Notes” section at the bottom of the page.
Jacob Klopfenstein