SALT LAKE CITY – Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases increased by 2,899 on Wednesday, with another 27 deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
According to the health department, nine of the deaths occurred before December 23rd. The agency also reported 2,289 backdated new COVID-19 cases that had already been diagnosed in June, but so far have not been reported as COVID-19 cases in Utah due to incomplete or unverified address information for the patient.
The Department of Health now estimates that there are 55,544 active cases of COVID-19 in Utah. According to the Department of Health, the current average number of positive cases of seven days per day is now at 2,840. reported at 27.8%.
A total of 124,884 vaccines were administered in the state, up from 110,530 on Tuesday.
Wednesday’s new case numbers indicate a 0.9% increase in positive cases since Tuesday. Of the 1,855,385 people tested so far for COVID-19 in Utah, 17% tested positive for the disease. According to the health department, the number of tests has increased by 14,228 as of Wednesday, of which 12,272 were tests for people who had not been tested for the disease before.
There are 566 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, including 194 in intensive care. About 90% of all beds for intensive care units in Utah are full on Wednesday, including 93% of the ICU beds in the 16 referral hospitals in the state. About 53% of Utah’s non-ICU hospital beds are currently occupied, according to the Department of Health.
The 27 deaths reported on Wednesday were:
- A Carbon County man who was between 65 and 84 years old and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Davis County man over the age of 85 who was not admitted to hospital when he died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Uintah County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Utah County man over the age of 85 who was hospitalized when he died
- Two men in Utah County who were between 45 and 64 years old and were hospitalized when they died
- A Utah County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Utah County man who was between 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- Two Washington County men between the ages of 65 and 84 who were hospitalized when they died
- Two Washington County men over the age of 85 who were hospitalized when they died
- A Washington County man who was between 45 and 64 years old and was admitted to the hospital when he died
- A Weber County man who was between 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- An Iron County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and was not admitted to the hospital when she died
- A Juab County woman over the age of 85 who was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Salt Lake County woman who was over 85 and a resident of a long-term care facility
- A woman from Tooele County who was between 65 and 84 years old and was admitted to hospital when she died
- A Tooele County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Uintah County woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and was admitted to the hospital when she died
- A woman in Utah County who was over 85 and a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Washington woman who was between 45 and 64 years old and was admitted to the hospital when she died
- A Washington woman who was between 65 and 84 years old and was admitted to the hospital when she died
- A Washington County woman over the age of 85 who was not hospitalized when she died
- A Washington County woman who was between the ages of 25 and 44 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Weber County woman who was between 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
The total Wednesday total gives Utah 314,817 total confirmed cases, with 12,160 total hospitalizations and 1,449 deaths due to the disease. A total of 257,824 cases in Utah COVID-19 are estimated to be repaired according to the Department of Health.
There is no COVID-19 news conference scheduled for Wednesday. Utah officials typically present at news conferences on Wednesdays or Thursdays once a week.
Methods:
Test results now contain data from PCR tests and antigen tests. Positive COVID-19 test results are reported to the health department immediately after confirmation, but negative test results may not be reported 24 to 72 hours.
The total number of cases reported each day by the Utah Department of Health includes all cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak of Utah, including those currently infected, those recovering 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 did not die.
Reference hospitals are the 16 Utah hospitals that can provide the best COVID-19 health care.
According to the Department of Health, deaths usually occurred two to seven days before they were reported. Some deaths can come back even further, especially if the person is from Utah but died in another state.
The Department of Health reports both confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths as defined by the case set forth by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. The death rates could change as case investigations are completed.
For deaths reported as COVID-19 deaths, the person would not have died if they had not had COVID-19, according to the Department of Health.
Data included in this story primarily reflects the state of Utah as a whole. Visit the website of your local health district for more localized data.
More information on Utah’s health education levels is available at coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels.
Information is provided by 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 browse to the “Data Notes” section at the bottom of the page.
Jacob Klopfenstein