Coronavirus updates: Southeast Utah Health Department eases restrictions

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here are the latest coronavirus-related updates from Utah and around the world.

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Monday, 10:59pm

State parks will remain open after crowded weekend, but with some restrictions

The way people swarmed to Utah’s state parks over the weekend created the kind of problem officials once relished. But as the world grapples with how to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, Saturday’s massive crowds at state parks became a potential disaster. “It was the perfect storm,” said Eugene Swalberg, public affairs coordinator for Utah State Parks, referring to conditions that led officials to ban primitive camping on the beaches of Sand Hollow, and possibly Starvation. — Amy Donaldson, KSL

Monday, 10:43pm

Coronavirus restrictions leads to an increase in dog bites

Apparently, some dogs do miss their alone time. Animal shelters across the state have seen adoption rates soar since restrictions due to the coronavirus went into place in March, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been empty. The Humane Society of Utah said it has seen an increase of dogs in bite quarantine at shelters, though officials there didn't have an exact number of bites or the percentage of increase in bites. “Every time a dog bites, even if their vaccine record is known, they have to be held for 10 days,” said Rachel Heatley, advocacy director for the Humane Society of Utah. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to stressful situations for many citizens. It’s a different way of life for many, as they have had to learn to cope with schools being closed, working from home, and trying to be socially distant from each other. It’s a new way of living — and a new one for animals, too. — Ryan MIller, KSL.com

Monday, 10:39pm

Salt Lake County Jail traces virus spread, boasts no current known cases

Utah doctors noticed something else while treating a man for a suspected overdose in late March. Like a growing number of patients, he had fluid in his lungs, an indication he had the new coronavirus. But unlike most, he had just finished a stint at the Salt Lake County Jail. Three days later, the jail learned he’d tested positive and began screening other inmates for symptoms. Within the next 48 hours, another in his same housing unit developed a cough and fever. Since then, at least 14 other inmates at the jail and 18 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus amid swift measures to contain it, the county wrote in new court filings. As of Monday, there were no longer any confirmed cases in the jail, a development Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera heralded as a success. — Annie Knox, KSL

Monday, 10:35pm

Coronavirus Mailbag: Why is Utah looking to reopen when we have not shown any decrease in cases?

We’re nearing the end of another month of life under the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s possible that we’ll start to see some restrictions lifted by the start of the next one. Gov. Gary Herbert’s "Stay Safe, Stay Home" directive will come to an end on Friday, and he said last week that he’s eyeing an opening of some businesses shortly after that. This news comes as there are now 4,233 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Utah, according to numbers released by the Utah Department of Health on Monday. Of those cases, 349 have been hospitalized and 41 Utahns have died from the disease. — Carter Williams, KSL.com

Monday, 10:31pm

Health officials unsure if COVID-19 survivors are immune

One of the hopeful assumptions about COVID-19 has been that survivors will gain immunity once they have had the virus. But, just this weekend the World Health Organization said there is “no evidence” that coronavirus survivors are protected from catching the virus again. Many community leaders look at COVID-19 survivors as those who could get back to work quickly and not pose a risk. One Utah family sure hopes that’s the case. But, they also do not want to make anyone uncomfortable. — Jed Boal, KSL TV

Monday, 05:52pm

Multiple Utah health departments easing restrictions

Southeast Utah Health Department Under a new health order issued by Southeast Utah Health Department, restaurants in all counties in the district can now serve customers inside the building, so long as social distancing guidelines are adhered to. Customers dining in must remain 6 feet apart, and restaurants must also be sanitized properly. Overnight lodging in Carbon and Emery counties is allowed, but increased cleaning practices have been implemented. Hotels in Grand County are open, but limited occupancy guidelines are in place since research has shown the virus can live on surfaces for up to three days. The amendments to the health order are in effect until May 25. Tooele County Tooele County also announced Monday it will be moving into the stabilization phase of handling the COVID-19 pandemic. The county is following guidelines issued in the state’s “Utah Leads Together” plan to manage its economy during the pandemic. Starting on May 1, businesses will be allowed to open under new social distancing protocol. The changes come in response to a drop in transmission rates, Tooele County health officials said. — Lauren Bennett, KSL.com

Monday, 03:08pm

Moab state liquor store to reopen after being cleaned following employee's positive COVID-19 test

The Moab state liquor store will reopen Wednesday after an employee tested positive for COVID-19 last week, according to a news release from the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. All employees at the store have tested negative for the disease and have not had any symptoms, the release said. The employee at the store who contracted the disease caught it from a family member and is currently quarantined. A private company was brought in to clean the entire store on Saturday, the release said. All employees at the store will be wearing gloves and masks when it reopens at noon Wednesday. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Monday, 02:24pm

Murray state liquor store closed after employee tests positive for COVID-19

The state liquor store in Murray has been closed temporarily after an employee testing positive for COVID-19, a Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control official confirmed Monday. An employee of the store, located at 5056 State St., was tested on Saturday and his results came back positive the next day, according to Terry Wood, DABC director of communications and public affairs. The employee got the virus from a family member and not from another employee or customer, according to Wood. The liquor store will be disinfected on Wednesday by a third party company and will reopen on Thursday, at the earliest, Wood said. — Xoel Cardenas, KSL.com

Monday, 02:22pm

Sand Hollow State Park closes beaches to campers due to virus concerns

Officials on Monday closed the beach to primitive campers at Sand Hollow State Park due to COVID-19 concerns. “Please use other resources like hotels and vacation rentals,” a post on the park’s Facebook page said. Officials had already limited access to the park due to large crowds. — Xoel Cardenas, KSL.com

Monday, 01:21pm

Utah sees 110 new cases of COVID-19

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 110 from Sunday, with no new reported deaths, and the state has surpassed 100,000 tests conducted, according to the Utah Department of Health. Monday’s totals give Utah 4,233 confirmed cases, with 349 hospitalizations and 41 total deaths from the disease. Previously, there were 4,123 cases in the state. The new numbers indicate a 2.7% increase in positive cases since Sunday. Of the 100,195 people tested in Utah so far, 4.2% have tested positive for COVID-19, which is a 12-day continually decrease. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Monday, 01:20pm

Granite School District provides Wi-Fi buses to get internet access to students

Utah students are doing their school work from home these days, but not all students have good enough internet access, or any internet, to get the work done. So the Granite School District sent out 35 specially-equipped buses last week to help students get online. The student WiFi buses are parked at strategic locations across the district, including parks, neighborhoods, and apartment complexes. “These are mobile hotspots they can move from place to place, and provide a WiFi signal up to 300 feet,” said Ben Horsley, a Granite School District spokesman. — Jed Boal, KSL TV

Monday, 11:44am

St. George to reopen several city-owned rec facilities

St. George will reopen all city-owned pickleball, sand volleyball and tennis courts on Tuesday. “After discussions with the Mayor, City Council, City Manager and community members, and listening to medical experts on both the local and statewide levels, we felt it was the right time to open these recreational facilities again,” said leisure services director Shane McAffee in a Monday news release. Venues to reopen include:

Pickleball courts at Little Valley, Bloomington and Vernon Worthen parks (Worthen to reopen in May due to construction).

Tennis courts at Hidden Valley, Larkspur, Cox Park and Tonaquint parks.

Sand volleyball courts at Vernon Worthen, Little Valley, Sunset, Silkwood, Christensen Park, Cottonwood Cove, Cox Park, Hidden Valley, J.C. Snow, Larkspur, Shadow Mountain, Tonaquint, 1100 East, 2450 East and Sunset parks.

Signs will be placed at each facility to remind users about social distancing and play protocol, according to the release. — Xoel Cardenas, KSL.com

Monday, 11:31am

Salt Lake County creates team to help minorities, underserved communities

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has created a group that will aim to help underserved communities hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I acknowledge there are gaps in serving the needs of populations experiencing inequities which is also causing disparities, and it is one of my top priorities to ensure we can work to close those gaps,” Wilson said in the release. The team will prioritize breaking down language barriers and making sure people in underserved communities have access to the information they need, according to a Monday news release. Read the full story here. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Monday, 09:07am

Stocks rise as governments plan to ease virus lockdowns

Stocks around the world rose Monday as governments prepare to gradually lift restrictions they imposed on businesses to slow the sweep of the coronavirus pandemic. The S&P 500 was up 0.7% in the first few minutes of trading at the start of a week chockablock with market-moving events. Several of the world’s largest central banks are meeting, including the Bank of Japan, which announced its latest stimulus measures to prop up markets. — Associated Press

Monday, 09:06am

New York hospitals study a common heartburn drug as treatment for Covid-19

Hospitals in New York are giving COVID-19 patients heartburn medicine to see if it helps fight the virus, according to the doctor who initiated the trial. Preliminary results of the clinical trial of famotidine, the active ingredient in Pepcid, could come out in the next few weeks, said Dr. Kevin Tracey, president of Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health, which runs 23 hospitals in the New York City area. — CNN

Monday, 09:05am

Salt Lake antique store says 'we give up' amid pandemic impact

If freeway traffic at the 600 South off-ramp was what it normally would be, more people might have noticed the very hard-to-miss, hand-painted signs outside of Euro Treasures Antiques. “COVID kills businesses TOO!” one sign stated. “We give up,” read another. Of course, the lack of passersby and customers is precisely the point to shop owner Scott Evans, who said the economics of the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders have proven overwhelming for his 40-year-old business — to the point he intends to close. — Andrew Adams, KSL TV

Monday, 09:03am

Gephardt: What you should know about COVID-19 and cash

Even before the novel coronavirus reared its ugly head, you might have thought a time or two about the possibility of handling money and how it could make you sick. Study after study has shown the cash in our wallets is just teeming with all sorts of microbes, bacteria and other gunk. Microbiologists have said COVID-19 could be among them. — Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage, KSL TV

Monday, 08:23am

Tabernacle Choir heritage tour rescheduled to 2021

The 2020 Heritage Tour of The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, originally scheduled for this summer, has been rescheduled to 2021, according to a Monday news release from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The tour was scheduled to take place from June 25 to July 16 this year, but will be pushed back a year, the release said. The performances will take place in the same cities on the same dates, but will be a year later in 2021. More information will become available in the coming weeks, the release said. People are asked not to contact concert venues in the meantime. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Monday, 07:30am

Nations, US states each chart their own path on reopening

Nations and U.S. states have begun easing coronavirus lockdowns, each pursuing their own approach but all with a common goal: restarting their economies without triggering a new surge of infections. Restrictions are being lifted in a piecemeal fashion with no clear signs of coordination among countries. Some have restarted construction work, while others never shut down building sites in the first place. Hair salons and restaurants were reopening in some U.S. states, while elsewhere such steps are still weeks away. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was back at work Monday after a bout with the virus that by his own account nearly cost the 55-year-old leader his life. His government was resisting the trend toward reopening. Read the full story here. — Associated Press

Monday, 07:30am

New Zealand claims 'elimination' of coronavirus with new cases in single digits

New Zealand claimed Monday it had "eliminated" the coronavirus as the country announced the easing of restrictions from "level four" to "level three," with new cases in single figures. At a news conference, New Zealand reported one new case, four "probable cases" and one new death. Ashley Bloomfield, New Zealand's Director General of Health, said the low number "does give us confidence that we've achieved our goal of elimination, which— that never meant zero but it does mean we know where our cases are coming from." — CNN

Monday, 07:30am

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Coronavirus jump-starts call for ideas on low-cost legal services

Utah passes 4,000 total coronavirus cases

A flood of business bankruptcies likely in coming months

Read all of Sunday's coronavirus coverage here.

Coronavirus updates: Southeast Utah Health Department eases restrictions

By KSL.com Staff | Updated - April 27, 2020 at 5:52 p.m. | Posted - April 27, 2020 at 7:30 a.m.

(KSL.com File)

State parks will remain open after crowded weekend, but with some restrictions

Coronavirus restrictions leads to an increase in dog bites

Salt Lake County Jail traces virus spread, boasts no current known cases

Coronavirus Mailbag: Why is Utah looking to reopen when we have not shown any decrease in cases?

Health officials unsure if COVID-19 survivors are immune

Multiple Utah health departments easing restrictions

Moab state liquor store to reopen after being cleaned following employee's positive COVID-19 test

Murray state liquor store closed after employee tests positive for COVID-19

Sand Hollow State Park closes beaches to campers due to virus concerns

Utah sees 110 new cases of COVID-19

Granite School District provides Wi-Fi buses to get internet access to students

St. George to reopen several city-owned rec facilities

Salt Lake County creates team to help minorities, underserved communities

Stocks rise as governments plan to ease virus lockdowns

New York hospitals study a common heartburn drug as treatment for Covid-19

Salt Lake antique store says 'we give up' amid pandemic impact

Gephardt: What you should know about COVID-19 and cash

Tabernacle Choir heritage tour rescheduled to 2021

Nations, US states each chart their own path on reopening

New Zealand claims 'elimination' of coronavirus with new cases in single digits

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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