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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health on Saturday reported 943 new test-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and five more deaths from the disease in the state.
The department also said that 22,473 more Utahns have been vaccinated over Friday's numbers.
This continues the state's gradual decline in new coronavirus cases that began about a month ago. Over the past week, the state is averaging 987 new cases reported per day and a positive test rate of 6.4%; that's using the new positive rate the health department switched to this week, which counts all positive tests received over the total number of tests conducted.
The numbers come as 18,233 more tests were conducted. There are currently 298 Utahns reported hospitalized due to COVID-19, including 116 in intensive care. The state is using just over 84% of its "referral center" ICU beds at the 16 hospitals with the best ability to care for coronavirus patients. Hospitals consider their ICUs to be "functionally full" at 85% use.
The five deaths reported Saturday include:
- An Iron County man between ages 65 and 84 who was hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man between ages 45 and 64 who was not hospitalized when he died
- A Tooele County woman between ages 65 and 84 who was hospitalized when she died
- A Utah County woman between ages 45 and 64 who was hospitalized when she died
- A Utah County man over age 85 who was not hospitalized when he died
Overall, Saturday's update brings the state to 360,584 confirmed cases, 1,790 deaths, 14,151 hospitalizations, and 512,189 vaccine doses administered since the pandemic began. That includes 153,307 Utahns who've received a second dose of the vaccine.
There is no coronavirus news conference from state leaders scheduled for over the weekend. Gov. Spencer Cox addressed the public on the latest developments on Thursday, saying that most of the Utah adult population could be vaccinated by the end of May.
Utah is currently looking for volunteers to help with vaccine distribution; interested Utahns can sign up at UtahResponds.org.
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.
