Coronavirus updates: 242 cases, 2 deaths; Utah high school football game canceled

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here's the latest COVID-19 news and updates from Utah and around the world.

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Monday, 09:14 pm

Universities scramble to deal with virus outbreaks

North Carolina's flagship university canceled in-person classes for undergraduates just a week into the fall semester Monday as college campuses around the U.S. scramble to deal with coronavirus clusters linked in some cases to student housing, off-campus parties and packed bars.The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said it will switch to remote learning on Wednesday and make arrangements for students who want to leave campus housing.Outbreaks earlier this summer at fraternities in Washington state, California and Mississippi provided a glimpse of the challenges school officials face in keeping the virus from spreading on campuses where young people eat, live, study — and party — in close quarters.— Associated Press

Monday, 08:47 pm

Canadian Football League cancels 2020 season

The Canadian Football League announced the total shutdown of the 2020 season Monday, ending the chase of the 109-year-old Grey Cup for the nine-team league founded in 1958.The CFL’s business model relies heavily on ticket sales instead of television, other media rights and sponsorship money. With public gatherings in Canada limited to 250 people or fewer in most provinces, the potential for a fanless, quarantined tournament at a predetermined site in Winnipeg did not represent a financially sound investment.“Our league governors decided today it is in the best long-term interests of the CFL to concentrate on the future,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement from the league. “We are absolutely committed to 2021, to the future of our league and the pursuit of our vision of a bigger, stronger, more global CFL.”— Sean Walker, KSL.com

Monday, 06:36 pm

Ridgeline searching for replacement after home opener vs. Cyprus canceled due to COVID-19

For the second straight week, a Utah high school football game has been canceled because of complications from the coronavirus.Cyprus’ upcoming game Friday night at Ridgeline has been canceled, Riverhawks athletic director Mike Hansen confirmed to KSL.com on Monday evening.The Week 2 game was lifted from the schedule after two positive cases of COVID-19 were identified from the Pirates’ football program following last Friday’s 42-0 home loss to Snow Canyon.— Sean Walker, KSL.com

Monday, 02:13 pm

242 more COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths reported in Utah Monday

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 242 from Sunday, with two more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.The state now estimates that there are 8,398 active cases of the disease in Utah. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now at 354, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that time period is now 9.6%.For a full analysis of Utah's COVID-19 numbers, click here.—Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Monday, 02:12 pm

COVID-19 virus found in mink on 2 Utah farms, USDA says

The virus that causes COVID-19 has been found in mink in two Utah farms — the first confirmed cases of the virus in the species in the U.S., federal officials said Monday.The finding adds to a slowly growing list of species that have confirmed positive SARS-CoV-2 virus results since April — some in zoo captivity at the time. Other species include cats, dogs, tigers and lions, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that results in COVID-19 for humans.The mink in Utah that tested positive may be the first in the U.S., but they're not the first animals to test positive for SAR-CoV-2 in the state. The agency reports at least four cats and two dogs tested positive for the virus on July 22.—Carter Williams, KSL.com

Monday, 02:11 pm

Virus pandemic reshaping air travel as carriers struggle

In a bid to survive, airlines are desperately trying to convince a wary public that measures like mandatory face masks and hospital-grade air filters make sitting in a plane safer than many other indoor settings during the coronavirus pandemic.It isn’t working.Surveys indicate that instead of growing comfortable with air travel, more people are becoming skeptical about it. In the United States, airline bookings have stalled in the past month after slowly rising — a reaction to a new surge of reported virus infections.Globally, air travel is down more than 85% from a year ago, according to industry figures.—Associated Press

Monday, 10:08 am

3 more Utah temples to move to phase 2 of reopening

Starting next week, the Draper Utah Temple, Jordan River Utah Temple, and Oquirrh Mountain Utah temple will enter phase two of the reopening process, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on Monday.In addition, nearby temples in Star Valley, Wyoming; Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Twin Falls, Idaho, will also move to the second phase next week.— Ryan Miller, KSL.com

Monday, 10:04 am

Granite Board adopts new plan for elementary school schedule

With the opening of school just one week away, the Granite School District Board of Education held an unusual morning meeting Monday to alter its elementary school schedule.The board voted to adopt an elementary school schedule that offers in-person learning Monday through Thursday and distance learning and teacher planning time on Fridays. The plan previously called for in-school learning five days a week.— Marjorie Cortez, KSL

Monday, 07:50 am

Students in Murray, Wasatch County school districts return to class

Students in Murray are heading back to the classroom for their first day of school.The district is the smallest in the Salt Lake Valley with 10 schools and approximately 6,300 students.Doug Perry, public information officer for the Murray School District, said schools are ready to go — and they’re prepared for the changes that have been made to help keep students, faculty and staff safe."It’s going to be a very different day for sure," he said. "This is a very different year."— Felicia Martinez, KSL TV