Utah closes Sept. 1 deadline for less than 400 average daily diagnoses


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The day after Utah reported the lowest number of new cases of coronavirus in months, Tuesday remained relatively low on re-diagnosis, with 362 reported cases.

The state also reported four new deaths, which brought the death toll from Salt Lake County to 200.

For the past week, Utah has averaged 399 new confirmed cases per day – beating Utah Gov. Gary Herbert’s goal to reach an average of less than 400 new cases per day by September 1st.

Statewide, the rate of Utah positive testing since May 25 has been above 5%, according to UDOH data.

There were 3,989 new test results reported, below the 7-day average of 4,799 new tests per day. Low test demand has been sustained in Utah since late July; by mid-July, the state reported more than 7,000 new test results per day, on average.

Hospitalizations were down slightly Tuesday, with 189 Utah patients admitted at the same time, UDOH reported. On average, 193 patients received treatment every day in Utah hospitals each week – down from a peak average of 211 about a week and a half ago.

A total of 2,677 patients were admitted to Utah Hospital for COVID-19, up 35 from Monday.

Utah’s coronavirus death toll rose to 349 on Tuesday, with four deaths reported since Monday, all in Salt Lake County:

  • A man, aged 45 to 64, who died in a hospital.
  • A woman, over 85, who lived in a long-term care facility.
  • A woman, aged 65 to 84, who lived in a long-term facility.
  • A man, aged 65 to 84, who lived in a long-term care facility.

Utah’s most populous province accounts for 57% of the state’s deaths of 349, and nearly 47% of the state’s total cases – even though Salt Lake County contains about a third of Utah’s population.

This difference is attributed to the concentration of the province’s population, especially in minority populations that suffer disproportionately from the virus.

Salt Lake County, health officials have noted, also has more long-term retirement homes and facilities, which have been hot spots for COVID-19 mortality.

Of the 44,752 Utahs who tested positive for COVID-19, 34,764 were considered “recovered” – that is, they survived at least three weeks after diagnosis.