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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health is reporting 1,585 new test-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state on Sunday, along with eight new reported deaths.
That brings Utah to 323,837 total confirmed cases and 1,493 deaths since the pandemic began.
Currently, the health department says 557 Utahns are hospitalized due to COVID-19, including 226 in intensive care. The health department site says Utah's ICU referral beds are more than 100% full, with 458 total patients being treated though there are 453 available beds.
Sunday's numbers come as the state conducted 14,727 more tests, 7,199 of which were for people who hadn't previously been tested.
Over the past week, the state is averaging 2,209 new reported cases per day and a positive test rate of 22.6%. The health department says 157,170 total doses of the coronavirus vaccine have now been administered in Utah, up 4,661 doses from the day before.
Nearly 15,000 Utahns have received their second vaccine dose; both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine require two doses for maximum effectiveness. The state began by vaccinating health care workers and has moved now to schoolteachers and residents over 70 years old.
There is no coronavirus press conference from state leaders scheduled for over the weekend. Gov. Spencer Cox and health officials are expected to hold a conference later this week; it usually occurs on Thursdays.
The Utahns whose deaths were reported Sunday included seven men who were all hospitalized when they died:
- A Carbon County man between ages 65 and 84
- A Millard County man between ages 65 and 84
- Two Utah County men between ages 45 and 64
- A Utah County man between ages 65 and 84
- A Washington County man between ages 65 and 84
- A Washington County man older than 85
An Iron County woman between ages 65 and 84, who lived in a long-term care facility, was also included.
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.
