UTAH, March 16, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A total of 29 Utah residents and 10 visitors have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said.
As updated Monday, that is eight new cases with residents and three with visitors. The new resident cases are one in Davis County, two in Salt Lake County, two in Summit County, one in Wasatch County, one in Tooele County and one in Weber-Morgan County.
The resident total now includes 16 cases in Salt Lake County, four in Davis County, four in Summit County, two in the Weber-Morgan health district, one in southwest Utah, one in Tooele County and one in Wasatch County.
The first case of community spread was identified Saturday when a Summit County resident tested positive. The man worked as a doorman at the Spur Bar & Grill in Park City and has not traveled or had known contact with anybody infected with COVID-19.
Salt Lake County had two new visitor cases and Summit County had one more visitor case.
In total, 10 non-Utah residents have tested positive in the state; seven in Summit County, two in Salt Lake County and one in Utah County.
Three of the Utah residents in Salt Lake County that tested positive are under 18, and two of them attended school last week with symptoms.
The affected schools are Hunter High School in West Valley City and Entheos Academy, a charter school that has campuses in Magna and Kearns.
Medical privacy laws prohibit the release of any further information regarding individual cases.
“Both the Hunter High School and Entheos Academy school communities have been notified of the potential exposure,” the news release said. “SLCoHD has instructed students and staff of both schools to quarantine at home until March 27, and monitor themselves for symptoms throughout that time. Symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever over 100° F, and shortness of breath.”
The quarantine-at-home order means students and staff of those schools are not to leave home for any reason, unless advised by their health care provider to seek medical care in person, the news release states.
Utah’s public schools have canceled all classes and closed their buildings to most activities to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Utah System of Higher Education has canceled all in-person classes on college and university campuses. Wherever possible, classes will be conducted online. Westminster College and Brigham Young University, both private schools, have also moved classes online.
In other developments Monday, Salt Lake County is prohibiting dine-in food service at restaurants and bars, effective at 11 p.m. Monday. Summit County issued a similar prohibition Sunday. Take-out, delivery and grocery shopping is still permitted but with tighter rules.
Sunday evening, 23 passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that docked in Oakland last week returned to Utah. None of the passengers who returned have any symptoms of COVID-19 and have either tested negative or are waiting for test results.
Most Utah ski resorts have suspended or closed operations.
Many local governments have closed public buildings, including recreation centers, libraries, and senior centers.
State officials are encouraging everyone to take serious precautions, especially staying at least 6 feet away from other people and staying home if showing any symptoms.
If you have questions about COVID-19, call the Utah COVID-19 Information Line at 800-456-7707. You may also visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/covid19 or the State of Utah COVID-19 website at coronavirus.utah.gov. For the latest numbers in Utah, as well as further information, click here.
