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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 1,302 on Tuesday, with seven more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
The health department now estimates there are 55,227 active cases of COVID-19 in Utah. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now at 2,033, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that time period is now 19.9%, dropping below 20% for the first time since Oct. 30, according to state data.
There are 573 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, including 216 in intensive care, state data shows. About 89% of all intensive care unit beds in Utah were filled as of Tuesday, including about 91% of ICU beds in the state's 16 referral hospitals. About 48% of non-ICU hospital beds are occupied, according to the health department.
A total of 172,603 vaccines have been administered in the state, up from 168,908 Monday.
The new numbers indicate a 0.4% increase in positive cases since Monday. Of the 1,911,870 people tested for COVID-19 in Utah so far, 17% have tested positive for the disease. The number of tests conducted increased by 8,395 as of Tuesday, and 4,961 of those were tests of people who had not previously been tested for COVID-19. Many testing centers were closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
The seven deaths reported Tuesday include:
- A Salt Lake County woman who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Salt Lake County woman who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Millard County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 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
- Two Utah County men who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and were hospitalized when they died
- A Utah County man who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when he died
Tuesday's totals give Utah 326,221 total confirmed cases, with 12,645 total hospitalizations and 1,507 total deaths from the disease. A total of 269,487 Utah COVID-19 cases are now estimated to be recovered, state data shows.
There is not a COVID-19 news conference scheduled for Tuesday. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is scheduled to provide a pandemic update at 10:30 a.m. Thursday during his monthly PBS Utah news conference.
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.
