SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 2,574 on Wednesday, with 23 more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
Wednesday is the second day in a row Utah has reported 23 COVID-19 deaths. The health department now estimates there are 60,472 active cases of the disease in Utah.
Though deaths remained high Wednesday, some other coronavirus statistics have improved. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now at 2,892, down from 3,101 Tuesday, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that time period is now 26.6%, down slightly for the second day in a row.
The new numbers indicate a 1.2% increase in positive cases since Wednesday. Of the 1,523,990 people tested for COVID-19 in Utah so far, 14.6% have tested positive for the disease. The state reported an increase of 11,182 tests conducted as of Wednesday, according to health department data.
There are 581 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, state data shows. Of those, 223 are occupying intensive care units, according to state data. About 89% of all Utah ICU beds are occupied as of Wednesday, including 93% of ICU beds in the state’s 16 referral hospitals.
About 56% of non-ICU hospital beds are occupied in Utah as of Wednesday, state data shows.
The 23 deaths reported Wednesday were:
- A Utah County woman who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Box Elder County woman who was over the age of 85 and was not hospitalized when she died
- A Salt Lake County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Davis County man who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Weber County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Cache County woman who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- Three Salt Lake County men who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and were hospitalized when they died
- A Box Elder County woman who was between the ages 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Salt Lake County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A male Utah County resident who was between the ages of 15 and 24 and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Juab 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 Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 25 and 44 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- An Iron County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- Three Washington County women who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and were hospitalized when they died
- A Utah County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Piute County man who was over the age of 85 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Davis County man who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when he died
- An Iron County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and had an unknown hospitalization status
Wednesday’s totals give Utah 222,545 total confirmed cases, with 9,105 total hospitalizations and 995 total deaths from the disease. The health department initially said Wednesday there were 996 deaths, but clarified that due to a data uploading error, the incorrect deaths total was reported.
An estimated 161,077 Utah COVID-19 cases are now considered recovered, according to the health department.
There is not a COVID-19 news conference scheduled for Wednesday. The news conference for this week is scheduled for Thursday at 11:30 a.m.
This story will be updated.
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.
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Jacob Klopfenstein