SALT LAKE CITY – The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah jumped 3,318 on Tuesday, with an additional seven deaths as the positive test rate has continued to rise, according to the Utah Department of Health.
There are now an estimated 51,443 active COVID-19 cases in Utah, state data shows. The moving seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now 2,800, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that period is now a record high of 32.1%, compared to 30.8% on Monday.
The new numbers indicate an increase of 1.2% in positive cases since Monday. Of the 1,762,178 people who have been tested for COVID-19 so far in Utah, 16.5% have tested positive for COVID-19. The number of tests conducted rose by 17,539 Tuesday, and 9,854 of those tests were people who had not previously been tested for the disease, state data shows.
There are now 510 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, including 177 in intensive care units, data from the health department shows. About 84% of beds in the intensive care unit have been occupied in Utah as of Tuesday, including about 84% of the intensive care beds in the state’s 16 referral hospitals.
According to the health department, a total of 55,981 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered in Utah. A total of 150,125 vaccine doses have now been sent to the state, although health officials note that there is a data reporting delay between when doses are sent, administered to patients, and then reported to the health department.
The seven deaths reported Tuesday were:
- A man from Weber County who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man between the ages of 45 and 64 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Washington County man between the ages of 65 and 84 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Utah County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- Two Washington County women who were over the age of 85 who were not hospitalized when they died
- A Davis County man between the ages of 65 and 84 who was hospitalized when he died
Tuesday’s totals give Utah 288,951 total confirmed cases, with 11,356 total hospitalizations and 1,312 total deaths from the disease. According to the health department, an estimated 236,196 Utah COVID-19 cases are now considered recovered.
There is no press conference on COVID-19 scheduled for Tuesday. 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 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 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 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