SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 3,318 Tuesday, with seven more deaths reported as the positive test rate has continued climbing, according to the Utah Department of Health.
There are now an estimated 51,443 active COVID-19 cases in Utah, state data shows. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now at 2,800, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that time period is now a record-high 32.1%, up from 30.8% Monday.
The new numbers indicate a 1.2% increase in positive cases since Monday. Of the 1,762,178 people tested for COVID-19 in Utah so far, 16.5% have tested positive for COVID-19. The number of tests conducted increased 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, health department data shows. About 84% of intensive care unit beds are filled in Utah as of Tuesday, including about 84% of ICU beds in the state’s 16 referral hospitals.
A total of 55,981 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered in Utah, according to the health department. A total of 150,125 vaccine doses have now been shipped to the state, though health officials note that there is a data reporting lag between when doses are shipped, administered to patients and then reported to the health department.
The seven deaths reported Tuesday were:
- A Weber County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Washington County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and 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 and were not hospitalized when they died
- A Davis County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and 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. An estimated 236,196 Utah COVID-19 cases are now considered recovered, according to the health department.
There is not a COVID-19 news conference scheduled for Tuesday. Utah officials typically provide updates at news conferences once a week on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
Methodology:
Test results now include data from PCR tests and antigen tests. Positive COVID-19 test results are reported to the health department immediately after they are 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 Utah’s outbreak began, including those who are 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 Utah hospitals with the capability to provide the best COVID-19 health care.
Deaths reported by the state typically occurred two to seven days prior to when they are reported, according to the health department. Some deaths may be from even further back, especially if the person is from Utah but has died in another state.
The health department reports both confirmed and probable COVID-19 case deaths per the case definition outlined by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. The death counts are subject to change as case investigations are completed.
For deaths that are reported as COVID-19 deaths, the person would not have died if they did not have COVID-19, according to the health department.
Data included in this story primarily reflects the state of Utah as a whole. For more localized data, visit your local health district’s website.
More information about Utah’s health guidance levels 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 compiles 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