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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health on Saturday reported that the state has seen 376 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 over Friday's numbers.
That brings the state to 43,751 total cases — 10,301 active and about 33,115 recovered. No new deaths were reported Saturday, leaving the state at 335 since the pandemic began.
The numbers continue a downward trend for Utah, which had seen case counts as high as 800-plus per day in July but now tends to sit below 500. And though testing demand had recently declined as well, Saturday shows a healthier increase of 7,255 people tested from yesterday.
Currently, 195 Utahns are hospitalized due to COVID-19 by the health department's count, down from 202 the day before. Overall, the state is using 55.8% of its total hospital beds and 65.6% of its intensive care unit beds, it says.
Nearly a quarter of Utahns over age 85 who contract COVID-19 have required hospitalization for it, but less than 5% of cases from age 1 to age 44 require hospitalization and less than 10% of cases among 45- to 64-year-olds require it. Overall, 2,604 Utahns have been hospitalized for the coronavirus since the pandemic began.
The average age of a Utahn deceased from COVID-19 has been 73; the median age is 74.
Two days after Utah Gov. Gary Herbert set a new goal to get the seven-day rolling average number of cases below 400 by Sept. 1, the average sits at 426. The rate of positive tests over the past week has been 9.3%, down from 10% on Thursday.
Herbert announced Saturday afternoon that he is extending two executive orders through Aug. 20 that require face coverings in all state facilities and define risk levels for areas throughout the state.
The order keeps Salt Lake City at the "orange" risk level, 10 rural counties in the "green" level and the rest of the state at "yellow" risk. The order on face coverings provides exceptions but generally requires all employees and guests at state government buildings, from the Driver License Division to the Capitol, to wear a mask.
Methodology:
Test results now include data from PCR tests and antigen tests. Positive COVID-19 test results are reported to the health department immediately after they are confirmed, but negative test results may not be reported for 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 Utah's outbreak began, including those who are currently infected, those who have recovered from the disease, and those who have died.
Recovered cases are defined as anyone who was diagnosed with COVID-19 three or more weeks ago and has not died.
Deaths reported by the state typically occurred two to seven days prior to when they are reported, according to the health department. Some deaths may be from even further back, especially if the person is from Utah but has died in another state.
The health department reports both confirmed and probable COVID-19 case deaths per the case definition outlined by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. The death counts are subject to change as case investigations are completed.
Data included in this story primarily reflects the state of Utah as a whole. For more localized data, visit your local health district's website.
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.
