Coronavirus Updates: 8 deaths reported Saturday in Utah

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

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Saturday, 09:34 pm

As virus surges in some US states, emergency rooms swamped

A fast-rising tide of new coronavirus cases is flooding emergency rooms in parts of the United States, with some patients moved into hallways and nurses working extra shifts to keep up with the surge.Patients struggling to breathe are being placed on ventilators in emergency wards since intensive care units are full, officials say, and the near-constant care they require is overtaxing workers who also are treating more typical ER cases like chest pains, infections, and fractures.In Texas, Dr. Alison Haddock of the Baylor College of Medicine said the current situation is worse than after Hurricane Harvey, which swamped Houston with floodwaters in 2017. The state reported a new daily record for virus deaths Friday and more than 10,000 confirmed cases for the fourth consecutive day.“I’ve never seen anything like this COVID surge,” said Haddock, who has worked in emergency rooms since 2007. “We’re doing our best, but we’re not an ICU.”— Associated Press

Saturday, 09:32 pm

Dress rehearsal: MLB holds first COVID-era exhibitions

Didi Gregorius watched over the top of his face mask as his drive off Washington ace Max Scherzer sailed into empty outfield seats.Fake cheers — meant to encourage the hometown Nationals — accidentally piped through the stadium as the Philadelphia Phillies shortstop rounded the bases. After touching home plate, he pantomimed air-fives to teammates.“This is 2020 baseball,” Scherzer said. “Embrace it and have fun with it.”Exhibition games in Washington, New York and Pittsburgh on Saturday gave Major League Baseball its first look at coronavirus-era games — cardboard cutouts for fans, sound effects for crowds and more. Still, for clubs limited to practices and intrasquads in their own ballparks for the past two weeks, Saturday stood as an important mile marker as the sport tries to start a shortened 60-game season next Thursday amid a pandemic.— Associated Press

Saturday, 01:17 pm

760 cases, 8 deaths reported Saturday

The Utah Department of Health Saturday is reporting 760 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and eight more deaths from the disease.That brings Utah's total number of cases to 33,332 since the pandemic began and 243 total deaths. 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.The health department estimates that 12,669 cases are active infections and that 20,421 Utahns have recovered from COVID-19; it considers recovered anyone who was diagnosed more than three weeks ago and did not die.The department is reporting the results of 10,662 new tests in Saturday's data.—Graham Dudley, KSL.com

Saturday, 08:08 am

Are mask mandates constitutional?

Hundreds of thousands of Utahns are now living in areas that require masks in public to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Salt Lake, Summit and Grand counties have all received permission from Gov. Gary Herbert to mandate face coverings in public spaces, and the state will require masks at schools this fall.While mask mandates strike some as a commonsense way to protect individuals and communities, other see them as onerous impositions on their civil liberties. KSL.com asked several Utah-based professors where the legal authority for such mandates comes from.The professors agreed that, given the authority granted the states by the Constitution and the wide latitude previously given by the Supreme Court in matters of public health, states are well within their rights to impose mask mandates.—Graham Dudley, KSL.com

Friday, 10:49 pm

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

What are Utah schools doing to prepare for and prevent COVID-19 outbreaks?

18 states, including Utah, in coronavirus 'red zone' should roll back reopening

727 more COVID-19 cases, 1 death reported in Utah on Friday

Read all of yesterday's COVID-19 news here

Coronavirus Updates: 8 deaths reported Saturday in Utah

By KSL.com Staff | Updated - July 18, 2020 at 9:35 p.m. | Posted - July 18, 2020 at 7:04 a.m.

(Fernando Vergara, AP Photo)

As virus surges in some US states, emergency rooms swamped

Dress rehearsal: MLB holds first COVID-era exhibitions

760 cases, 8 deaths reported Saturday

Are mask mandates constitutional?

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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