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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 2,150 on Friday, but the case count number is artificially low due to technical difficulties with the Utah Department of Health's data system.
Fourteen more deaths were also reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
"We are experiencing significant technical difficulties with the data system we use to run our daily case count and test data," the health department said in a news release. "The case count and testing data presented below were compiled prior to the system malfunctioning early this morning. As a result, today's case counts and tests reported are incomplete and are artificially low."
The remainder of the cases and tests will be added to Saturday's report, which will appear artificially high as a result, the health department said. Hospitalization and death data are reported through a different system and were not affected by the technical difficulties.
The state now estimates there are 44,196 active cases of the disease in Utah. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now at 2,616, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that time period is now 23.5%.
The new numbers indicate a 1.5% increase in positive cases since Thursday. Of the 1,216,706 people tested for COVID-19 in Utah so far, 12% have tested positive for the disease. The health department reported an increase of 12,157 tests conducted as of Friday.
The health department also reported 473 current COVID-19 hospitalizations, a record-high number for Utah that breaks the previous record reported at 468 on Thursday. Of those, 184 are in intensive care units. About 85% of Utah's ICU beds are filled as of Friday, while about 57% of non-ICU beds are occupied, state data shows.
The 14 deaths reported Friday include:
- A Weber County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Morgan County man who was over the age of 85 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Morgan County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Utah County woman who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was not hospitalized when she died
- A Box Elder County woman who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Davis County man who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 25 and 44 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 25 and 44 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Washington County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Box Elder County woman who was over the age of 85 and was not hospitalized when she died
Friday's totals give Utah 145,789 total confirmed cases, with 6,591 total hospitalizations and 701 total deaths from the disease since the pandemic began.
A total of 100,892 Utah COVID-19 cases are now estimated to be recovered — the first time that estimate has been over 100,000, state data shows.
There is not a COVID-19 news conference scheduled for Friday. Utah officials provided COVID-19 updates at news conferences on Monday and Thursday.
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.
