SALT LAKE CITY – The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah rose Friday by 1,517, with 35 more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
The new deaths reported reflect a total of two days between Thursday and Friday. A data transmission error caused the health department not to include deaths in the COVID-19 statistical report on Thursday.
According to the health department, sixteen of the deaths should have been included in Friday’s report. Six of the deaths included in Friday’s report occurred before the first of the year, but were still being investigated by the Utah state medical office.
The health department estimates that there are 40,845 active cases of COVID-19 in Utah. According to the health department, the average number of positive cases per seven-day day is 1,550. The positive daily test rate for this time period is now 18.1%.
There are currently 446 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Utah, including 148 in intensive care, according to state data. About 88% of all intensive care beds in Utah were filled as of Friday, including 92% of the ICU beds at the state’s 16 reference hospitals. According to the Department of Health, approximately 60% of non-ICU hospital beds are filled in Utah.
A total of 281,797 vaccines have been administered in the state, compared to 267,027 on Thursday. Of those, 48,263 are second doses that have been administered as of Friday, according to state data.
The new figures indicate an increase of 0.4% in positive cases since Thursday. Of the 2,009,407 people tested so far to detect COVID-19 in Utah, 17.2% tested positive for the disease. The total number of tests performed increased by 13,172 on Friday, and 9,384 of these were tests from people who had not previously been tested for COVID-19, according to the health department.
Gov. Spencer Cox celebrated the figures in a tweet saying there was a decline among health workers.
Can I share some hopeful news? Although the number of cases is declining throughout the state, in recent days we have seen a much more intense decline (approximately 26%) among health workers. Since they were the first to receive the vaccine, this is the first real test we have that works! 👊
– Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) January 29, 2021
The 35 deaths reported on Friday were:
- Two men from Box Elder County who were between 65 and 84 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- A Carbon County man who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A Davis County man who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A woman from Davis County who was over 85 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- An Iron County man who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Salt Lake County who were between 65 and 84 years old and were residents in long-term care centers
- Two women from Salt Lake County who were over 85 and were residents of long-term care centers
- A Salt Lake County man who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- Two men from Salt Lake County who were over 85 and were residents of long-term care centers
- A Salt Lake County man who was between 65 and 84 years old and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between 25 and 44 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A woman from Salt Lake County who was over 85 and was hospitalized when she died
- Two men from Salt Lake County who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and were hospitalized when they died
- Two men from Salt Lake County who were between the ages of 45 and 64 and were hospitalized when they died
- Two women from Salt Lake County who were between 65 and 84 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- A man from Summit County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A woman from Tooele County who was over 85 and who was hospitalized when she died
- A man from Tooele County who was between 65 and 84 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A Utah County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A Utah County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- Three men from Utah County who were between 65 and 84 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- A Washington County woman who was between 45 and 64 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A Weber County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A Weber County woman who was between 45 and 64 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A Weber County woman who was over 85 years old and resided in a long-term care center
- A woman from Weber County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
Friday’s total gives Utah 343,962 confirmed cases, with 13,353 hospitalizations and 1,655 deaths from the disease. The health department estimates that 301,462 cases of COVID-19 are now being recovered in Utah.
There is no COVID-19 press conference scheduled for Friday. Utah officials provided a pandemic update at a news conference Thursday.
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