Corona virus in Utah: State’s worst week ends with 2,083 new cases, 17 deaths reported
(Rick Egan | Salt Lake Tribune) Casey Murphy Tests for COVID-19 on Friday, December 11, 2020 at the Intermountain Healthcare Cottonwood Instagram.
The worst week in Utah for corona virus infections ended on Sunday, with 17 deaths reported by the Utah health department, as well as 2,083 new positive cases of COVID-19 reported.
Utah now has 1,055 deaths related to the corona virus, and this is 233,904 positive cases.
The arrival of the first set of COVID-19 vaccines was a silver lining to the situation.
On Sunday afternoon, Intermount Healthcare announced that its four hospitals (Intermountain Medical Center in Murray; LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City; Dixie Regional Medical Center in St George; Utah Valley Hospital in Provo) would receive their first vaccinations on Tuesday. IHC officials are scheduled to provide updates on vaccination attendance, vaccination priority, release plans and safety updates by 10:30 a.m. Monday.
The University of Utah Hospital, which is not affiliated with the IHC, is one of the first groups of Utah hospitals to receive the vaccine.
However, the state’s December and January exports will be around 154,000 volumes – much lower than the 400,000 previously estimated by the state health department by the end of the year.
The seven-day average for positive tests is 2,633 per day according to UDOH, and the seven-day average for the percentage of positive laboratory tests is 24.6%.
There are currently 548 patients with COVID-19 in the hospital. (The total number of people admitted to the hospital since the outbreak is now 9,421.)
There are 215 confirmed COVID-19 patients in ICUs.
At referral hospitals such as Utah Hospital and Intermountain Medical Center, which treat the most severe COVID-19 cases, the ICU beds are more than capable, with 469 beds for 469 patients – 101.7%.
“Patients stay in these ICUs longer than the medical ward,” said Dr. Brandon Webb, an epidemiologist at Intermountain Medical Center.
Now 1,575,222 people have been tested – 9,668 people have been tested since Saturday’s figures.
New deaths on Sunday include:
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Two Salt Lake County women, aged 65 to 84, were over 85 years old.
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Four Salt Lake County men, three aged 45 to 64, were over 85 years old.
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Two Utah county women, both over 85 years of age.
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Two Utah county men, one aged 65 to 84, were over 85 years old.
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A Weber County woman, over 85 years old.
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Two Weber County men, one aged 65 to 84, were over 85 years old.
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Washington County woman, 25 to 44 years old.
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Washington County man, 45 to 64 years old.
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An Iron County man, aged 65 to 84.
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Morgan County man, 65 to 84 years old.