The first Summit County death attributed to COVID-19 occurred Thursday, officials said, a painful development in a community that went more than three months from the pandemic without a death.
County officials said the person was a man over the age of 65 who had been hospitalized with the coronavirus. No other details were provided.
“We are deeply saddened by this news,” Summit County Health Director Rich Bullough said in a prepared statement. “Our dedicated staff is working tirelessly to reduce further spread and loss of life. I am also grateful for the support and experience of our local health professionals who have been a vital part of this response. Now, more than ever, we ask for community support to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Summit County. “
As of Thursday, there have been a total of 498 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Summit County, as well as 47 hospitalizations. Across the state, there have been more than 23,000 cases and 176 deaths.
The fatality occurs when health officials are concerned about an increase in cases in Utah and worrying underlying trends in Summit County. In late June, Summit County became one of the first jurisdictions in the state to implement a mask mandate in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
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“This is a tragic loss of life and we wish to extend our condolences to the family,” Summit County Council President Doug Clyde said in a prepared statement. “The death of a member of our community is a sobering reminder of the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. It illustrates the need for us all to do our part and duplicate efforts to regularly disinfect, wear masks, and social distance. ”
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