Utah exceeds 4,000 COVID pandemic deaths; case counts remain high

A child is tested for COVID-19 in Bountiful on Wednesday. The Utah Department of Health reported 11,608 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and 22 deaths, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths to 4,019.

A child is tested for COVID-19 in Bountiful on Wednesday. The Utah Department of Health reported 11,608 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and 22 deaths, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths to 4,019. (Laura Seitz, Deseret News)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has now reported more than 4,000 novel coronavirus deaths during the pandemic, according to state health officials, as daily case numbers remain high.

The state reported an additional 22 deaths on Thursday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Utah to 4,019. There have now been a total of 814,388 cases reported in the state, with 11,608 new cases reported just on Thursday.

At this point, the percentage of COVID-19 cases in Utah that has led to a death is 0.493%. This is significantly less than the national death rate of 1.256%, calculated using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data reporting 853,230 deaths and 67,903,759 cases.

The rolling, seven-day average for new cases in Utah is now at 10,762. The average rate of people testing positive is 42.5% — a new high.

In the last 28 days, Utahns who are unvaccinated have had a 12.3 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19, 5.9 times greater risk of being hospitalized, and 2.3 times greater risk of testing positive than vaccinated Utahns, according to state health officials.

School-age children account for 1,974 of Thursday's new cases. Of those cases, 747 were children between ages 5 and 10, 494 were children 11-13, and 733 were children 14-17.

As of Tuesday, 756 patients across Utah were hospitalized with COVID-19, a new high for hospitalizations. Of those patients, 207 are in an ICU. Right now 89.4% of ICU beds are occupied, 92.7% of ICU referral beds, and 60.3% of non-ICU hospital beds, according to health officials.

Although the high case numbers are starting to plateau, health officials have warned that this could be an artificial plateau because the state does not currently have the testing capacity it had in previous weeks. Gov. Spencer Cox last week encouraged Utahns with COVID-19 symptoms to quarantine, but not get tested.

The 22 deaths reported Thursday include:

  • A Box Elder County man between 45 and 64, who was hospitalized when he died.
  • A Cache County man, 65-84, hospitalized.
  • A Davis County man, 65-84, hospitalized.
  • An Iron County woman, 65-84, not hospitalized.
  • An Iron County man, 65-84, hospitalized.
  • A Salt Lake County man, 25-44, hospitalized.
  • A Salt Lake County woman, 45-64, hospitalized.
  • A Salt Lake County woman, 65-84, hospitalized.
  • A Salt Lake County man, 65-84, hospitalized.
  • A Salt Lake County woman, 65-84, hospitalized.
  • A Salt Lake County man, over 85, hospitalized.
  • A Uintah County man, 65-84, either hospitalized or in a long-term care facility.
  • A Utah County woman, 25-44, hospitalized.
  • Three Utah County women, 65-84, all hospitalized.
  • Two Utah County men, 65-84, both hospitalized.
  • A Utah County woman, over 85, not hospitalized.
  • A Utah County man, over 85, hospitalized.
  • A Washington County man, 65-84, hospitalized.
  • A Weber County woman, 65-84, long term care facility resident.

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Emily Ashcraft joined KSL.com as a reporter in 2021. She covers courts and legal affairs, as well as health, faith and religion news.

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