SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Department of Health Sunday reports 1,819 new cases of COVID-19 in the state and seven new deaths from the disease.
That brings Utah to 283,473 confirmed cases and 1,301 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
The health department says 486 Utahns are currently hospitalized for the coronavirus, including 164 in intensive care.
In the past week, the state counts an average of 2,652 new confirmed cases per day and a positive test rate of 29.2%. That percentage is the highest it has ever been. Only 4,802 more people were reportedly tested during Saturday’s figures, although the total number of tests conducted increased by 9,109.
The health department reports that 47,382 Utahns have received a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, just a thousand more than since Saturday, although the health department is constantly warning that there is “a delay between when vaccines are shipped, given to a person, and finally reported. . ” to them. The vaccine goes first to seniors and to the medical personnel in the state.
Six of the deaths reported Sunday were of men:
- A Salt Lake County resident over 85 living in a long-term care facility
- A Washington County resident aged 65 to 84 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Washington County resident over the age of 85 who was not hospitalized
- A resident of Washington County between the ages of 65 and 84 who was not hospitalized
- A resident of Utah County between the ages of 65 and 84 who was hospitalized
- A Utah County resident over 85 living in a long-term care facility
A Weber County woman between the ages of 65 and 84, who was hospitalized when she died, was also listed.
State leadership, both in general and with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, will pass on Monday as Head of Government Spencer Cox is sworn in. Cox will be tasked with accelerating the vaccine’s introduction to Utah and keeping Utah’s vigilant in the dwindling months of the pandemic after nearly a year of coronavirus precautions.
This week
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 upon confirmation, 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 start of the Utah outbreak, including those currently infected, those who have recovered from the disease, and those who are passed away.
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 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.
Graham Dudley