SALT LAKE CITY – The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah jumped 2,899 on Wednesday, with 27 more deaths, according to the Utah Department of Health.
Nine of those deaths occurred before Dec. 23, according to the health department. The agency also reported 2,289 new retroactive COVID-19 cases that were diagnosed as early as June but were not reported as Utah COVID-19 cases so far due to incomplete or unverified patient address information.
The health department now estimates there are 55,544 active cases of COVID-19 in Utah. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now 2,840, according to the health department. After rising above 30% last week, the seven-day moving average of positive tests has dropped for the past few days and is now reported at 27.8%.
A total of 124,884 vaccines have been administered in the state, up from 110,530 on Tuesday.
Wednesday’s new case numbers indicate a 0.9% increase in positive cases since Tuesday. Of the 1,855,385 people tested for COVID-19 so far in Utah, 17% have tested positive for the disease. The number of tests conducted increased by 14,228 as of Wednesday, and 12,272 of those were tests from people who had not previously been tested for the disease, according to the health department.
There are currently 566 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Utah, including 194 in intensive care units, state data shows. About 90% of all intensive care beds in Utah were occupied on Wednesday, including about 93% of the intensive care beds in the state’s 16 referral hospitals. According to data from the health department, about 53% of non-ICU hospital beds in Utah are currently occupied.
The 27 deaths reported Wednesday were:
- A Carbon County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Davis County man over the age of 85 who was not hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and lived in a long-term care facility
- A man from Uintah County who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Utah County man over the age of 85 who was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Utah County who were between the ages of 45 and 64 who were hospitalized when they died
- A Utah County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and lived in a long-term care facility
- A Utah County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Washington County who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and were hospitalized when they died
- Two Washington County men over the age of 85 who were hospitalized when they died
- A Washington County man between the ages of 45 and 64 who was hospitalized when he died
- A man from Weber County who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- An Iron County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was not hospitalized when she died
- A Juab County woman over the age of 85 living in a long-term care facility
- A Salt Lake County woman over the age of 85 living in a long-term care facility
- A Tooele County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Tooele County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and lived in a long-term care facility
- A woman in Uintah County who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Utah County woman who was over 85 and living in a long-term care facility
- A Washington County woman who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Washington County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Washington County woman over the age of 85 who was not hospitalized when she died
- A Washington County woman who was between the ages of 25 and 44 and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Weber County who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
Wednesday’s totals give Utah 314,817 total confirmed cases, with 12,160 total hospitalizations and 1,449 total deaths from the disease. According to the health department, a total of 257,824 Utah COVID-19 cases are now being recovered.
No press conference on COVID-19 is scheduled for Wednesday. Utah officials typically provide updates at news conferences once a week on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
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 they were reported, according to the health department. Some deaths may be 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 outlined 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 on Utah 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