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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health reported 7,502 new COVID-19 cases over the last seven days, as well as 12 additional deaths.
The seven-day average for new cases is just under 1,072 cases. The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests has continued rising since the beginning of April. As of June 3, the most recent day for which that data is available, the percent positivity rate stood at 22.24% of people tested.
Health officials have noted the confirmed cases don't represent true COVID-19 case counts, as fewer people are seeking testing. Many are also using at-home tests that don't get reported to public health officials.
At least five people have died due to COVID-19 this month so far, state data shows. The rest of the recently reported deaths occurred during previous months.
On Thursday, 173 patients in hospitals across Utah had the coronavirus — a number that has gradually climbed above 100 within the past two weeks, according to state health department data.
The percentage of emergency room visits with COVID-19 also increased slightly from 3.43% the previous seven days to 3.78% this week.
Although case counts and hospitalizations have continued rising, fewer wastewater treatment sites across Utah are detecting increasing or elevated virus levels. The percentage of sites seeing higher levels was 61.8% the previous week but, as of Thursday, the percentage had decreased to 55.9% of sites.
Health care workers administered just under 2,000 vaccine doses since the previous report. Now 67.4% of Utahns ages 5 and older are considered fully vaccinated, and 35.6% of residents ages 12 and older have received a booster shot.
State data shows the majority of new cases in Utah continue to be caused by the "stealth" omicron variant, which is believed to be more transmissible but to also cause less severe illness.
Since the pandemic began in early 2020, Utah has confirmed 662,209 COVID-19 cases and 4,793 deaths due to the disease.
