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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 2,899 on Wednesday, with 27 more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.
Nine of those deaths occurred before Dec. 23, according to the health department. The agency also reported 2,289 backdated new COVID-19 cases that were diagnosed as early as June but were not reported as Utah COVID-19 cases until now due to incomplete or unverified address information for the patient.
The health department now estimates there are 55,544 active cases of COVID-19 in Utah. The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now at 2,840, according to the health department. After climbing above 30% last week, the rolling seven-day positive test rate average has declined for the past several days and is now reported at 27.8%.
A total of 124,884 vaccines have been administered in the state, up from 110,530 Tuesday.
Wednesday's new case numbers indicate a 0.9% increase in positive cases since Tuesday. Of the 1,855,385 people tested for COVID-19 in Utah so far, 17% have tested positive for the disease. The number of tests conducted increased by 14,228 as of Wednesday, and 12,272 of those were tests of people who had not previously been tested for the disease, according to the health department.
There are 566 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Utah, including 194 in intensive care, state data shows. About 90% of all intensive care unit beds in Utah are filled Wednesday, including about 93% of ICU beds in the state's 16 referral hospitals. About 53% of Utah's non-ICU hospital beds are currently occupied, according to health department data.
The 27 deaths reported Wednesday were:
- A Carbon County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Davis County man who was over the age of 85 and was not hospitalized when he died
- A Salt Lake County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was 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 who was over the age of 85 and was hospitalized when he died
- Two Utah County men who were between the ages of 45 and 64 and were hospitalized when they died
- A Utah County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Utah County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- Two Washington County men who were between the ages of 65 and 84 and were hospitalized when they died
- Two Washington County men who were over the age of 85 and were hospitalized when they died
- A Washington County man who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when he died
- A Weber County man who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when he died
- An Iron County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was not hospitalized when she died
- A Juab County woman who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Salt Lake County woman who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Tooele County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Tooele County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Uintah County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Utah County woman who was over the age of 85 and was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Washington County woman who was between the ages of 45 and 64 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Washington County woman who was between the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
- A Washington County woman who was over the age of 85 and 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 the ages of 65 and 84 and was hospitalized when she died
Wednesday's totals give Utah 314,817 total confirmed cases, with 12,160 total hospitalizations and 1,449 total deaths from the disease. A total of 257,824 Utah COVID-19 cases are now estimated to be recovered, according to the health department.
There is not a COVID-19 news conference scheduled for Wednesday. Utah officials typically provide updates at news conferences once a week on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
Methodology:
Test results now include data from PCR tests and antigen tests. Positive COVID-19 test results are reported to the health department immediately after they are confirmed, but negative test results may not be reported for 24 to 72 hours.
The total number of cases reported by the Utah Department of Health each day includes all cases of COVID-19 since Utah's outbreak began, including those who are currently infected, those who have recovered 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 has not died.
Referral hospitals are the 16 Utah hospitals with the capability to provide the best COVID-19 health care.
Deaths reported by the state typically occurred two to seven days prior to when they are reported, according to the health department. Some deaths may be from even further back, especially if the person is from Utah but has died in another state.
The health department reports both confirmed and probable COVID-19 case deaths per the case definition outlined by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. The death counts are subject to change as case investigations are completed.
For deaths that are reported as COVID-19 deaths, the person would not have died if they did not have COVID-19, according to the health department.
Data included in this story primarily reflects the state of Utah as a whole. For more localized data, visit your local health district's website.
More information about Utah's health guidance levels is available at coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels.
Information is from 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 scroll down to the "Data Notes" section at the bottom of the page.
