SALT LAKE CITY — The Beehive State, along with 17 others, were declared “red zones” for having more than 100 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in an unpublished report created for the White House Coronavirus Task Force this week.
According to the Center for Public Integrity — which released a copy of the July 14 document — the findings have been shared within the federal government, but had remained unpublished. The document identifies states where the coronavirus is spreading at alarming rates and offers suggestions to harness the outbreak.
The self-described purpose of the report is to create “shared understanding of the current status of the pandemic at the national, regional, state and local levels.”
The 18 “red zone” states also include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
According to the report, Utah has averaged 140 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in the past week. That means 5% to 10% of all coronavirus tests in the state come back positive, earning Utah a “yellow zone” demarcation in regards to positive test rates.
“The White House Coronavirus Task Force has published weekly state-specific snapshots for several weeks now. The report provides a concise look at the current situation in Utah,” the Utah Department of Health said in a statement Friday. “We share these reports with our partners throughout the state, and they are just one of the many considerations we take into account when determining how the state can limit the spread of COVID-19.”
As of Friday, 447,806 people have been tested in Utah for COVID-19, with 32,572 testing positive for the virus.
A rolling seven-day average — an indicator the state health department told the Deseret News it monitors closely — showed 10.3% of people tested during the past week have the coronavirus. The seven-day average was 599 people testing positive each day, according to the state health department on Friday. These updated numbers would bump Utah into the White House report’s “red zone” for testing percentage, along with 11 other states.
“The trend in the recent days is very concerning in Utah. If actions are taken early, there can be a dramatic decline in cases,” the report says before offering recommendations to stymie the trend of ever-increases coronavirus cases in the state.
Utah’s health districts — the local government bodies managing and tracking the outbreak — are aligned into single- and multicounty jurisdictions. Each of Utah’s 13 health districts report “red zone” levels of the coronavirus per 100,000 people, according to the national report. Salt Lake, Utah and Davis counties — each their own health district — made up nearly 75% of all new cases in the past three weeks.
In line with the White House’s predisposition to allow states to manage the pandemic, the report’s recommendations to stop the spread of the coronavirus are written for county governments.
“Wear a mask at all times outside the home and maintain physical distance,” is the top suggestion for public officials to tell residents of “red zone” counties. Limiting gatherings to 10 people and avoiding “bars, nightclubs and gyms” are the next two suggestions for officials to message.
The White House report then encourages public officials to close bars and gyms, limit social gatherings and develop weekly testing and mask requirements for assisted living and long-term care employees.