SALT LAKE CITY — Even as the Utah Department of Health on Wednesday announced an increase of 2,574 cases of COVID-19 and 23 more deaths, officials warn the state is still awaiting repercussions from Thanksgiving weekend, when many families in Utah gathered together.
The daily number of positive tests also remains high, with more than 1 in 4 tests performed in the state resulting in a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, the health department reports. The death toll in Utah stands at 995 since the pandemic hit the state in mid-March.
More than 1.5 million people in Utah have been tested for the rampant virus, including 11,182 tested since Tuesday’s report, with an average 2,892 new COVID-19 cases diagnosed each day, according to the health department. That’s down from an average of 3,125 on Monday.
Some people have been tested multiple times, but the number reflects the number of people, not tests. More than 2.2 million tests have been reported in Utah.
The seven-day average percent of positive laboratory tests is 26.6%, slightly down from Tuesday’s 27% and Monday’s 27.1%, which was the highest yet. Officials have said it is too early to know if the rate will continue to decline.
A mask mandate still exists for the entire state and nearly every county is experiencing high level transmission. Piute, Daggett and Rich counties are listed as having low levels of transmission, according to the state’s coronavirus website, coronavirus.utah.gov.
Gatherings are limited to 10 people or fewer in locations with high levels of transmission. In all areas, six feet of physical distancing between household groups is recommended, as is proper and frequent hand-washing, and staying home when sick.
Colder weather has driven more people indoors and while grade schools seem to be handling their response to the virus well, high schools and junior highs are experiencing higher numbers of cases, likely due to nonadherence to proper public health protocols among those age groups.
The health department reports that 13,043 students across Utah have tested positive with school-associated cases of COVID-19 since August. Nearly 2,100 of those have been diagnosed in the past two weeks.
The deaths reported Wednesday include:
- A Utah County man between the ages of 15 and 24 who was not hospitalized when he died.
- A Utah County woman between 65 and 84 who was hospitalized when she died.
- A Utah County woman who was older than 85 and a long-term care facility resident.
- A Box Elder County woman, age 45-64, who was hospitalized.
- A Box Elder County woman, older than 85, not hospitalized.
- A Cache County woman, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
- A Davis County man, 45-64, hospitalized.
- A Davis County man, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
- Two Iron County men, 65-84; one was hospitalized when he died, it’s unknown whether the other man was hospitalized.
- A Juab County man, 65-84, hospitalized.
- A Piute County man, older than 85, hospitalized.
- A Salt Lake County man, 25-44, long-term care facility resident.
- A Salt Lake County man, 45-64, hospitalized.
- A Salt Lake County woman, 65-84, long-term care facility resident.
- A Salt Lake County woman, 65-84, who was hospitalized.
- Three Salt Lake County men, 65-84, who were all hospitalized when they died.
- Three Washington County woman, 65-84, who were all hospitalized when they died.
- A Weber County man, 65-84, long-term care facility resident.
The health department also reports there are 581 people currently hospitalized throughout Utah, with intensive care units experiencing nearly 89% capacity, which is more than is optimal. More than 93% of all referral center ICU beds are occupied at this time, with 223 patients in the ICU for confirmed COVID-19.
Health officials in the state have said that hospitalization numbers are a lagging indicator of how rampant disease is within the community and often follow high daily case counts, as people don’t usually experience symptoms until 10 days after exposure, according to the health department.
New COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday by health district:
- Salt Lake County, 811
- Utah County, 465
- Davis County, 319
- Southwest Utah, 278
- Weber-Morgan, 216
- Bear River, 131
- Central Utah, 64
- Wasatch County, 46
- Southeast Utah, 31
- Summit County, 29
- TriCounty (Uinta Basin), 26
- Tooele County, 25
- San Juan County, 23