SALT LAKE CITY — Sunday brought Utah 796 new COVID-19 cases, marking the first time in over two months when well under 1,000 cases were reported in a day.
The new cases were confirmed, however, out of a much lower-than-average number of people tested (2,663) during holiday testing lags, according to the Utah Department of Health.
The rolling seven-day average fell below 2,000 for the first time since Nov. 5. It now stands at 1,980 cases per day. The average for percent of positive laboratory tests is 24.3%.
Hospital leaders remain concerned that the holiday will lead the state’s case counts to surge again. Intermountain Healthcare officials said Sunday the system is preparing for a possible spike in hospitalizations.
“Experts remind people that symptoms of COVID-19 and the need for hospitalization don’t normally happen until one to three weeks after the initial exposure. Due to the incubation period, people who may have been exposed should receive a test five to seven days after an exposure to ensure accuracy. An infected person can test negative if they receive a test too soon after exposure,” Intermountain officials urged in a news release.
Currently, 474 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Utah, seven fewer than were hospitalized on Saturday. The state’s intensive care units are 80.1% full overall with coronavirus patients and others, while referral ICUs that can treat the most serious patients are 82.9% full.
Since the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines received approval within the last two weeks, 76,400 doses have been shipped to Utah and nearly 17,000 health care providers have received their first round of vaccinations.
Two more deaths were reported Sunday, bringing the state’s toll to 1,214. They were two Salt Lake County women, one of whom was between 45 and 64, and one who was between 65 and 84. Both were hospitalized when they died.
The Beehive State has now confirmed 264,874 cases out of 2.6 million tests given and nearly 1.7 million people tested since the outbreak started. At least 214,000 cases are considered recovered after surviving the three-week point since their diagnoses. Nearly 10,600 people have required hospitalization for the disease in Utah during the pandemic.