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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 2,159 on Wednesday, with 10 more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
The health department now estimates there are 54,750 active cases of the disease in Utah. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now at 1,924, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that time period is now 18.9%, the second day in a row that number has been reported below 20%.
There are now 551 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, including 210 in intensive care, state data shows. About 88% of all intensive care unit hospital beds are occupied in Utah, including about 91% of ICU beds in the state's 16 referral hospitals. About 49% of non-ICU hospital beds are occupied, state data shows.
A total of 181,169 vaccines have now been administered in Utah, up from 172,603 Tuesday.
The new numbers indicate a 0.7% increase in positive cases since Tuesday. Of the 1,922,786 people tested for COVID-19 in Utah so far, 17.2% have tested positive for COVID-19. The number of tests conducted increased by 21,996, and 10,916 of those were tests of people who had not previously been tested for COVID-19.
The ten deaths reported Wednesday were:
- A Carbon County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was not hospitalized when he died
- Two Salt Lake County women who were over the age of 85 and were hospitalized when they died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County woman who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Salt Lake County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was not hospitalized when she died
- A Utah County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Utah County woman who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Utah County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Utah County man who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
Wednesday's totals give Utah 328,380 total confirmed cases, with 12,729 total hospitalizations and 1,517 total deaths from the disease. A total of 272,113 Utah COVID-19 cases are now estimated to be recovered, according to the health department.
There is not a COVID-19 news conference scheduled for Wednesday. 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.
