SALT LAKE CITY – The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah rose Wednesday to 2,612, with 24 more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
The health department estimates there are 55,558 active cases of COVID-19 in Utah as of Wednesday. According to the health department, the average number of positive cases per seven-day day is 2,419. The positive daily test rate for this time period is now 23.7%.
The new figures indicate a 1% increase in positive cases since Tuesday. Of the 1,666,879 people tested so far by COVID-19 in Utah, 15.5% tested positive for COVID-19. As of Wednesday, an additional 9,601 new people were tested to detect COVID-19, while a total of 17,391 more tests were performed, according to state data.
There are currently 560 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, according to state data. Of those, 198 have been occupying intensive care beds in Utah since Wednesday. About 90 percent of all ICU beds are filled Wednesday, including about 92 percent of ICU beds at the state’s 16 reference hospitals, according to the health department.
Now, about 53% of non-ICU hospital beds are filled in Utah.
A total of 11,380 COVID-19 vaccines have now been administered in Utah, up from 8,518 on Tuesday, according to state data. The number of vaccines sent to Utah has tripled since Tuesday: there are now 75,200 doses in the state compared to 25,000 this Tuesday. However, health officials say there is a delay of up to seven days since vaccines are shipped to Utah, administered to patients and reported to the health department.
The 24 deaths reported on Wednesday were:
- Two Utah County women between the ages of 65 and 84 living in long-term care centers
- A Salt Lake County woman who was over 85 and who was hospitalized when she died
- Two women from Salt Lake County who were over 85 and were residents of long-term care centers
- A Weber County woman who was over 85 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- Four women from Salt Lake County who were between 65 and 84 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- A woman from Tooele County who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A Morgan County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Sanpete County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Weber County who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- Three men from Salt Lake County who were between 65 and 84 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A Davis County man who was over 85 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A Weber County man who was over 85 and resided in a long-term care facility
- A Salt Lake County man who was over 85 and was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Utah County who were between 65 and 84 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- A Weber County man who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when he died
Wednesday’s totals give Utah 257,697 confirmed cases in total, with 10,327 total hospitalizations and 1,196 deaths from the disease. It is now estimated that a total of 200,943 cases of COVID-19 will be recovered in Utah, according to state data.
There is no COVID-19 press conference scheduled for this week. The health department will not update Utah COVID-19 statistics Friday in view of the Christmas holidays.
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.
Jacob Klopfenstein