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SALT LAKE CITY — One day after reporting more than 2,000 cases in a single day for the first time, the Utah Department of Health said Saturday there are 1,724 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and three new deaths from the disease.
That brings the state to 114,656 total confirmed cases and 604 deaths since the pandemic began. In an email, the health department said the deaths included:
- A Washington County man between ages 65 and 84 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Utah County woman between ages 45 and 64 who was hospitalized
- A Duchesne County man between ages 25 and 44; state officials do not know if he was hospitalized
The young man becomes the second Duchesne County resident reported to have died from the virus, and the third overall in the TriCounty Health Department jurisdiction that also includes Daggett and Uintah counties.
Hospitalizations remained high Saturday, as 317 Utahns are now reported to be in the hospital battling COVID-19 with 132 of those patients in intensive care. The Utah Department of Public Safety sent an alert to Utahns' phones on Friday warning that hospitals are "nearly overwhelmed."
Over the past week, the state is averaging 1,638 new reported cases per day and a positive test percentage of 18.4.
Saturday marks an unusual Halloween in Utah and across the country, as individuals and families decide if and how to celebrate amidst the highest daily case counts the state has yet seen. Health officials are asking Utahns to modify their celebrations, as traditional Halloween costume masks are not necessarily effective against the coronavirus and officials worry about spreading the virus in large gatherings and while going door-to-door.
Casual social gatherings are technically restricted to 10 people or fewer in most counties under the state's current health guidance.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert called on Utahns to "resist the temptation to gather with extended family and friends" in a Twitter thread Saturday afternoon. "Consider celebrating Halloween with a small party of those you live with," he wrote.
Grateful to meet with Dr. Birx and @CDCDirector today. For some time now, our data has shown that social gatherings are the main source of COVID-19 spread. Dr. Birx and Redfield confirmed this pattern is nationwide.
— Gov. Gary Herbert (@GovHerbert) October 31, 2020
Herbert met Saturday in Utah with Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Robert Redfield; Birx is an adviser to President Donald Trump on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and Redfield is the current director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "For some time now, our data has shown that social gatherings are the main source of COVID-19 spread," Herbert wrote. "Dr. Birx and Redfield confirmed this pattern is nationwide."
He encouraged Utahns to commit "not to socialize with people outside your household" for the time being.
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.
More information about Utah's health guidance levels is available at coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels.
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.
