SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Department of Health said on Saturday that there are 2,613 new test-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and nine more Utahns have died from the disease.
That brings Utah to 303,723 total confirmed cases and 1,390 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
The rolling seven-day positive testing rate is 32.6%, the department said, and the state records an average of 3,147 new reported cases per day during that time.
There are currently 535 Utahns hospitalized for COVID-19, including 181 in intensive care units, contributing to statewide ICU use of more than 90%.
The health department says there are now 99,612 vaccine doses administered in the state, more than 10,000 more than reported Friday. The vaccines require two doses for maximum effectiveness.
In an email, the health department said the nine Utahns who died included:
- A Davis County man aged 65 to 84 who was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Salt Lake County between the ages of 45 and 64 who were hospitalized when they died
- A Salt Lake County man aged 65 to 84 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man over 85 who was not hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man over 85 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Uintah County man over 85 who was not hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Weber County between the ages of 65 and 84 who were hospitalized when they died
Men are now responsible for more than 62% of coronavirus-related deaths in Utah. Utahns over the age of 64 account for 8% of the state’s total number of cases, but 77% of deaths, and more than 13% of Utahns over the age of 84 who tested positive for COVID-19 have died as a result.
No news conference on the coronavirus from state leaders is scheduled this weekend, but new Spencer Cox administration led one from the State Capitol on Friday. Cox said Utah teachers will gain access to the vaccine starting Monday and have drawn up a plan to speed up vaccine distribution as well as a tentative timeline for the next stages of vaccine access.
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.
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Graham Dudley