Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — In its daily tally of new coronavirus statistics, the Utah Department of Health is reporting 2,563 additional confirmed cases in the state Sunday.
That brings the state to 215,407 total cases since the pandemic began; it remains at 939 total deaths, as no new deaths were reported.
On Sunday, 595 Utahns are reported to be hospitalized due to COVID-19, down slightly from Saturday's record of more than 600 Utahns. Of those, 213 patients are in intensive care, contributing to an ICU utilization of more than 90%. Utah's referral center ICU beds, which refer to beds in the 16 state hospitals with the best ability to care for coronavirus patients, are reported to be more than 96% full.
Utah has now conducted 2,185,615 coronavirus tests on 1,495,351 different people, and 9,540 people were tested over Saturday's numbers. In the past week, Utah is averaging 3,077 new confirmed cases per day and a positive test percentage of 26.6.
That's the highest rolling positive test percentage the health department has ever reported. The state estimates that about 61,441 of its confirmed COVID-19 cases are currently active, and that 153,027 are recovered.
While Utah may be just days away from receiving its first doses of a vaccine for the coronavirus, it could be several months before the vaccine is available to most members of the general public. The entire state is currently under a mask mandate for public indoor spaces and outdoors when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
State leaders and health officials did not hold a coronavirus news conference over the weekend but are expected to do so later this week; the conference generally occurs on Thursdays.
This week
- Saturday: 3,674 new COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths reported by Utah health department Saturday
- Friday: 3,005 more COVID-19 cases, 8 deaths reported Friday in Utah
- Thursday: Gov. Herbert provides Utah COVID-19 update as state sees 3,945 new cases, 11 deaths
- Wednesday: 4,004 more COVID-19 cases, 17 deaths reported Wednesday in Utah
- Tuesday: 2,510 more COVID-19 cases, 19 deaths reported Tuesday in Utah
- Monday: 1,897 more COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths reported Monday in Utah
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.
For deaths that are reported as COVID-19 deaths, the person would not have died if they did not have COVID-19, according to the health department.
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.
