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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health reported another five COVID-19 deaths and 627 cases in its report on Thursday.
School children account for 66 of the new cases. Of those cases, 29 were children between ages 5 and 10, 12 were ages 11-13, and 25 were ages 14-17.
The rolling seven-day average for new positive tests is continuing to decline and is now at 637 per day, data shows. The seven-day average for people testing positive for the disease is currently 19.3%. This is the first time the number has gone below 20% since the omicron variant caused a significant rise in cases.
The health department reported another 4,340 people who were tested for COVID-19, and another 3,155 people who were given a dose of a COVID-19 vaccination.
The state is now reporting data comparisons for those who have received a booster shot, in addition to those who are fully vaccinated.
The health department says that over the last 28 days, those who are not vaccinated for COVID-19 are 2.5 times more likely to test positive than those who are vaccinated and boosted, 6.5 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 17.36 times more likely to die from COVID-19.
When comparing only to those who are vaccinated as a whole, those who have not been vaccinated are two times more likely to test positive, 2.4 times more likely to be hospitalized, and only 5.65 times more likely to die from COVID-19. Health officials say this comparison shows that booster shots have been very successful in Utah at preventing deaths from COVID-19.
From the start of the omicron period, which the department says began on Dec. 21, 2021, there have been 129,301 cases in unvaccinated Utahns, 101,331 cases in Utahns who are considered fully vaccinated, and 36,784 in those who are vaccinated and boosted. In this same period, Utah officials report less than 382 deaths among unvaccinated individuals, 119 deaths among fully vaccinated individuals, and less than 52 deaths among those who are vaccinated and boosted.
Currently, 396 people are hospitalized in the state with COVID-19, according to the health department, 102 of those patients are in an intensive care unit. The number of Utahns in the hospital has gone up since Wednesday when 358 hospitalizations were reported.
The latest deaths include:
- A Salt Lake County woman, older than 85, who was a resident of a long-term care facility when she died.
- A Salt Lake County man, 65-84, long-term care facility resident.
- A Salt Lake County man, 65-84, hospitalized.
- A Salt Lake County man, over 85, long-term care facility resident.
- A Salt Lake County man, over 85, unknown if he was hospitalized or a long-term care facility resident.
