SALT LAKE CITY – The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah increased by 2,736 on Tuesday, with another 16 deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
The health department now estimates that there are 49,569 active cases of the disease in Utah. The average number of positive cases per day for seven days is now 2,035, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that time period is now 24.7%.
The new figures indicate a 1% increase in positive cases since Monday. Of the 1,705,452 people tested for COVID-19 in Utah so far, 15.9% tested positive for COVID-19. The health department reported that 7,347 new people were tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday, and 13,954 more tests in total were performed, state data show.
There are now 506 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, state data show. Of these, 164 are in beds in intensive care units across the state. About 80% of all ICU beds are occupied in Utah on Tuesday, including about 82% of the ICU beds in the state’s 16 referral hospitals. About 46% of hospital beds outside the ICU are occupied, state data show.
A total of 20,417 COVID-19 vaccines have already been administered, compared to 17,543 on Monday, according to state data. Health officials note that there is a delay in reporting data of up to seven days from the time the doses of the vaccine are sent to Utah, administered to patients and reported to the state health department. A total of 102,025 doses of vaccines have already been sent to Utah, according to the health department.
The 16 deaths reported on Tuesday were:
- A woman from Weber County who was 65 to 84 years old and a resident of a long-term care institution
- A Utah County man who was over 85 years old and a resident of a long-term institution
- A woman from Box Elder County who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A man from Uintah County who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A woman from Salt Lake County who was between 25 and 44 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A woman from Salt Lake 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 man from Cache County who was over 85 and was hospitalized when he died
- A woman from Utah County who was 65 to 84 years old and was hospitalized when she died
- A Davis County man who was over 85 and was a resident of a long-term care institution
- A Washington County man who was between 45 and 64 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A Utah county man who was 65 to 84 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A man from Washington County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when he died
- A man from Kane County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was hospitalized when he died
Tuesday’s total gives Utah 269,326 confirmed cases, with 10,763 hospitalizations and 1,235 deaths from the disease. It is estimated that 218,522 Utah COVID-19 cases are now considered recovered, according to the health department.
There is no COVID-19 press conference scheduled for this week.
Methodology:
The test results now include data from PCR tests and antigen tests. Positive results from the COVID-19 test are reported to the health department immediately after they are confirmed, but negative test results can take 24 to 72 hours.
The total number of cases reported by the Utah Department of Health each day includes all cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the Utah outbreak, including those who are infected, those who have recovered from the disease and those who have died.
Recovered cases are defined as anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 three or more weeks ago and has not died.
Referral hospitals are Utah’s 16 hospitals capable of providing the best COVID-19 healthcare.
Deaths reported by the state typically occurred two to seven days before they were reported, according to the health department. Some deaths can be even older, especially if the person is from Utah, but died in another state.
The health department reports deaths from confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases according to the case definition outlined by the State Council and Territorial Epidemiologists. Death counts are subject to change as case investigations are completed.
For deaths reported as deaths by COVID-19, the person would not have died if they did not have COVID-19, according to the health department.
The data included in this story mainly reflects the state of Utah as a whole. For more localized data, visit your local health district’s website.
More information about Utah’s health guidance levels is available at coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels.
The information is 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 the bottom of the page.
Jacob Klopfenstein