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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health Sunday is reporting 1,819 new cases of COVID-19 in the state and seven new deaths from the disease.
That brings Utah to 283,473 total confirmed cases and 1,301 deaths since the pandemic began.
The health department says 486 Utahns are currently hospitalized because of the coronavirus, including 164 in intensive care.
Over the past week, the state is averaging 2,652 new confirmed cases per day and a positive test rate of 29.2%. That percentage is the highest it has ever been. Only 4,802 more people were reportedly tested over Saturday's numbers, though total tests conducted increased by 9,109.
The health department is reporting 47,382 Utahns have received a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, up only a thousand since Saturday, though the health department continually cautions that there is "a lag between when vaccines are shipped, administered to a person, and finally reported" to them. The vaccine is going first to senior citizens and to frontline medical personnel in the state.
Six of the deaths reported Sunday were of men:
- A Salt Lake County resident over age 85 who lived in a long-term care facility
- A Washington County resident between ages 65 and 84 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Washington County resident over age 85 who was not hospitalized
- A Washington County resident between ages 65 and 84 who was not hospitalized
- A Utah County resident between ages 65 and 84 who was hospitalized
- A Utah County resident over age 85 who lived in a long-term care facility
A Weber County woman between ages 65 and 84, who was hospitalized when she died, was also listed.
The state's leadership, both overall and with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, will transition Monday as Gov.-elect Spencer Cox is sworn into office. Cox will be tasked with accelerating the rollout of the vaccine in Utah and with keeping Utahns vigilant in the pandemic's waning months after nearly a year of coronavirus precautions.
This week
- Saturday: Utah health department reports 5,042 new coronavirus cases from past 2 days
- Thursday: Utah reports record 4,672 new COVID-19 cases, 13 more deaths on New Year's Eve
- Wednesday: 2,614 more COVID-19 cases, 21 new deaths reported in Utah as state begins to ramp up vaccinations
- Tuesday: 2,736 more COVID-19 cases, 16 deaths reported Tuesday in Utah
- Monday: 1,716 more COVID-19 cases, 5 deaths reported in Utah Monday
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.
Referral hospitals are the 16 Utah hospitals with the capability to provide the best COVID-19 health care.
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.
