SALT LAKE CITY – The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah rose Wednesday by 2,899, with 27 more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
Nine of those deaths occurred before Dec. 23, according to the health department. The agency also reported 2,289 new cases of COVID-19 that were diagnosed as early as June, but so far no cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Utah due to incomplete or unverified address information from the patient.
The health department estimates that there are 55,544 active cases of COVID-19 in Utah. According to the health department, the average number of positive cases per day seven days a day is 2,840. After rising above 30% last week, the seven-day positive test rate has declined in recent days and is now reported at 27.8%.
A total of 124,884 vaccines have been administered in the state, up from 110,530 on Tuesday.
New cases on Wednesday indicate a 0.9% increase in positive cases since Tuesday. Of the 1,855,385 people tested so far to detect COVID-19 in Utah, 17% have tested positive for the disease. The number of tests performed increased by 14,228 as of Wednesday, and 12,272 of those were tests from people who had not been tested for the disease, according to the health department.
There are currently 566 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Utah, including 194 in intensive care, according to state data. About 90 percent of all intensive care beds in Utah are filled Wednesday, including about 93 percent of the ICU beds at the state’s 16 reference hospitals. Currently, approximately 53% of non-ICU hospital beds are occupied, according to data from the health department.
The 27 deaths reported on Wednesday were:
- A Carbon County man who was between 65 and 84 years old and was not hospitalized when he died
- A man from Davis County who was over 85 and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between 65 and 84 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A man from Uintah County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A man from Utah County who was over 85 and who was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Utah County who were between 45 and 64 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- A Utah County man who was between 65 and 84 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A Utah County man who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Washington County who were between 65 and 84 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- Two men from Washington County who were over 85 and were hospitalized when they died
- A man from Washington County who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A Weber County man who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- An Iron County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and was not hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Juab County who was over 85 and living in a long-term care center
- A woman from Salt Lake County who was over 85 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A woman from Tooele County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Tooele County who was between 65 and 84 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A Uintah County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A Utah County woman who was over 85 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A woman from Washington County who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Washington County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Washington County who was over 85 and was not hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Washington County who was between 25 and 44 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Weber County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
Wednesday’s total gives Utah 314,817 confirmed cases in total, with 12,160 total hospitalizations and 1,449 deaths from the disease. According to the health department, a total of 257,824 cases of COVID-19 will be recovered in Utah.
There is no COVID-19 press conference scheduled for Wednesday. Utah officials usually provide updates at press conferences once a week on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
Methodology:
Test results now include PCR test data and antigen testing. Positive COVID-19 test results are reported to the health department immediately after confirmation, but negative results may not be reported within 24 to 72 hours.
The total number of cases reported daily by the Utah Department of Health includes all cases of COVID-19 since the Utah outbreak began, including those that are currently infected, those that 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 who has not died.
The reference hospitals are the 16 hospitals in Utah with the capacity to provide the best COVID-19 health care.
According to the health department, deaths reported by the state usually occur two to seven days before their complaint. Some deaths may be even further back, especially if the person is from Utah but has died in another state.
The health department reports confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19 cases as defined in the case reviewed by the Council of State and territorial epidemiologists. Death counts may change as case investigations are completed.
According to the health department, for deaths that are reported as deaths from COVID-19, the person would not have died if they did not have COVID-19.
The data included in this story primarily reflects the state of Utah as a whole. For more localized data, visit your local health district website.
You can learn more about Utah health guidance levels at coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels.
The information comes 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 bottom of the page.
Jacob Klopfenstein