Coronavirus updates: FanX 2020 canceled; 867 new cases, 2 new deaths

By KSL Staff | Updated - July 10, 2020 at 11:07 p.m. | Posted - July 10, 2020 at 7:02 a.m.

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here are the latest updates on COVID-19 from Utah and around the world.

If you’re on a mobile device and can’t see the updates below, click on this link.

Friday, 10:58pm

Can a fair trial be held over video? Coronavirus upends legal conventions

Utah courts remain open for certain hearings, with bailiffs in masks, hand sanitizer on the bench and prison sentences now issued over a video feed. But one key aspect of the system has come to a grinding halt. Jury trials have been postponed indefinitely to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the Beehive State. As Utah judges consider how to safely gather a panel of jurors, the possibility of verdicts reached over videoconference isn’t off the table. Yet some prosecutors and defense attorneys agree a fair trial is one held in person. — Annie Knox, KSL

Friday, 08:52pm

‘We’re headed for a disaster' if COVID-19 situation doesn’t improve, Utah health experts warn

Utah’s hospitals haven’t been impacted quite as badly as other states with recent COVID-19 case upticks, but that’s not to say it couldn't be the same story in a few weeks. And as Utah continues to report COVID-19 cases at ever-increasing rates, there’s a growing concern that the storm health experts fear will soon make landfall. "The hurricane is approaching; the storm surge is crashing into the beaches," Briesacher said during a teleconference meeting Friday. "We, as a community, have to help each other. Let’s board up these houses, let’s work together, let’s listen to that mandatory evacuation. For us, it’s wearing the mask (and) it’s socially distanced." Briesacher’s warnings came just hours before the Utah Department of Health announced it had received 867 new cases, shattering the state’s previous one-day total record — set only two days ago on Wednesday — by 145 cases. It’s a trend that has all of Utah’s health care providers concerned. Even if Utah’s hospitalization rate from COVID-19 cases has dropped to 6.2% as of Friday, the total number of hospitalizations will likely continue to rise to high rates if new cases are growing at record rates. — Carter Williams, KSL.com

Friday, 01:28pm

FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention 2020 announces cancellation

The FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention announced its cancellation on Friday afternoon with a press release. "Our top priority has always been and will continue to be the safety and well being of our FanX family — which, unfortunately, at this point in time, means postponing FanX 2020," the release says. The convention announced its next date as September 16-18, 2021. All tickets already purchased are automatically valid for the 2021 event, or can be redeemed for another future event or gifted. Individuals requesting a refund can contact customer support before Aug. 15, the release states. The convention also announced that elements of FanX, such as virtual celebrity meet and greets, would be announced soon. —Katie Workman, KSL.com

Friday, 01:28pm

Utah sees record-breaking 867 new cases of COVID-19

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 867 from Thursday, with two new reported deaths, according to the Utah Department of Health. Friday’s totals give Utah 28,223 total confirmed cases, with 1,748 total hospitalizations and 207 total deaths from the disease. Previously, there were 27,356 cases in the state. The total number of cases reported by the health department includes all cases of COVID-19 since Utah’s outbreak began, including those who are infected now, those who have recovered from the disease, and those who have died. For a full analysis of Utah's daily COVID-19 numbers, click here. —Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Friday, 01:27pm

AP: Catholic Church lobbied for taxpayer funds, got $1.4B

The U.S. Roman Catholic Church used a special and unprecedented exemption from federal rules to amass at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus aid, with many millions going to dioceses that have paid huge settlements or sought bankruptcy protection because of clergy sexual abuse cover-ups. The church’s haul may have reached — or even exceeded — $3.5 billion, making a global religious institution with more than a billion followers among the biggest winners in the U.S. government’s pandemic relief efforts, an Associated Press analysis of federal data released this week found. Houses of worship and faith-based organizations that promote religious beliefs aren’t usually eligible for money from the U.S. Small Business Administration. But as the economy plummeted and jobless rates soared, Congress let faith groups and other nonprofits tap into the Paycheck Protection Program, a $659 billion fund created to keep Main Street open and Americans employed. —Associated Press

Friday, 10:57am

What 'capacity' means for Utah hospitals and how they’re trying to stay ahead of coronavirus uptick

Utah’s rise in COVID-19 cases has continued for well over a month now, and with it the number of hospitalizations from the coronavirus has increased, as well. The number of people hospitalized has increased between May 28 and Thursday — from 734 total hospitalizations to 1,700 total hospitalizations. That’s led to concerns about how Utah’s health care system can manage hospitalizations, which has been described by state leaders and health officials as a key factor in the decision-making process for how Utah moves forward. — Carter Williams, KSL.com

Friday, 10:57am

KSL Investigates: Is Healthy Together app worth investment after state turns off main feature?

A piece of technology designed to better help contact tracing in Utah and curb coronavirus infections has failed to attract enough users or provide the desired data, making it all but useless for health departments across the state. The Healthy Together app was first announced on April 22. But after the state committed over $6 million towards the tech, state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn announced a major feature was being turned off Thursday. The app was the result of a no-bid contract, which cost the state $2.5 million upfront, followed by $300,000 per month for a year, terminating in April 2021. — Mike Headrick and Cindy St. Clair, KSL TV

Friday, 06:57am

Schools or bars? Opening classrooms may mean hard choices

President Trump insists that schools reopen this fall. Many parents, educators, doctors and economists want the same thing. But getting children back to school safely could mean keeping high-risk spots like bars and gyms closed. A growing chorus of public health experts is urging federal, state and local officials to reconsider how they are reopening the broader economy, and to prioritize K-12 schools — an effort that will likely require closing some other establishments to help curb the virus spread and give children the best shot at returning to classrooms. — Associated Press

Friday, 06:57am

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Gov. Gary Herbert announced he will require students, teachers, staff, faculty and visitors at all K-12 schools in the state to wear masks for the fall semester.

Calls to mental health crisis hotlines have increased markedly in Utah during the coronavirus pandemic even as mental health-related hospital visits decline.

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases increased by 601 from Wednesday, with four new reported deaths.

More than 1.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week.

Read all of yesterday's COVID-19 news here

Coronavirus updates: FanX 2020 canceled; 867 new cases, 2 new deaths

By KSL Staff | Updated - July 10, 2020 at 11:07 p.m. | Posted - July 10, 2020 at 7:02 a.m.

Can a fair trial be held over video? Coronavirus upends legal conventions

‘We’re headed for a disaster' if COVID-19 situation doesn’t improve, Utah health experts warn

FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention 2020 announces cancellation

Utah sees record-breaking 867 new cases of COVID-19

AP: Catholic Church lobbied for taxpayer funds, got $1.4B

What 'capacity' means for Utah hospitals and how they’re trying to stay ahead of coronavirus uptick

KSL Investigates: Is Healthy Together app worth investment after state turns off main feature?

Schools or bars? Opening classrooms may mean hard choices

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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Coronavirus updates: FanX 2020 canceled; 867 new cases, 2 new deaths

By KSL Staff | Updated - July 10, 2020 at 11:07 p.m. | Posted - July 10, 2020 at 7:02 a.m.

Can a fair trial be held over video? Coronavirus upends legal conventions

‘We’re headed for a disaster' if COVID-19 situation doesn’t improve, Utah health experts warn

FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention 2020 announces cancellation

Utah sees record-breaking 867 new cases of COVID-19

AP: Catholic Church lobbied for taxpayer funds, got $1.4B

What 'capacity' means for Utah hospitals and how they’re trying to stay ahead of coronavirus uptick

KSL Investigates: Is Healthy Together app worth investment after state turns off main feature?

Schools or bars? Opening classrooms may mean hard choices

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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KSL.com coronavirus coverage

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Green River mayor killed in head-on crash with semi in Emery County

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