SALT LAKE CITY – After taking Christmas Day off, the Utah Department of Health returned to participate on Saturday and reported 3,489 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and eight new deaths in the state.
Approximately 2,498 of those cases were reported Friday, according to the health department, and 991 are from today. That number is well below what the state has been averaging over the past few months, but will likely be reduced with the closure of COVID-19 test sites over the holidays.
With the update, Utah has now seen 264,078 confirmed cases and 1,212 deaths since the coronavirus pandemic began. The new number of cases came when 12,956 more Utahns were tried.
In an email, the health department said the eight Utahns who died were hospitalized at the time. They include:
- A Weber County man between 65 and 84 years old
- A Weber County man over 85 years old
- A Box Elder County man between the ages of 45 and 64
- A Utah County man between the ages of 65 and 84
- A Davis County woman between the ages of 65 and 84
- A Salt Lake County woman between the ages of 45 and 64
- A Millard County woman between the ages of 65 and 85
- A Washington County woman over 85 years old
There are currently 481 Utahns hospitalized due to COVID-19, including 172 in intensive care. This has dropped from the 559 Utahns hospitalized a week ago.
Over the past week, the state averaged 2,153 new cases a day and a positive evidence rate of 24%.
The health department says 16,924 Utahns have had the first dose of coronavirus vaccine. First-line health workers receive the vaccine first.
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 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.
Graham Dudley