Utah’s daily COVID-positive record shattered with nearly 2,300 new cases; Gov. Herbert releases statement

COVID-19. Image: CDC

UTAH, Oct. 20, 3030 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah’s previous record for new COVID-19 cases reported in a 24 hour period was shattered Friday with the report of 2,292 cases. In addition, three more Utahns have died.

Gov. Gary Herbert released a statement:

“While it is true that Utah’s COVID-19 mortality rate is substantially lower than the national rate, we must not become numb to what these numbers mean for our communities — for those infected, for everyone who loves them,” Herbert wrote.

“Assuming a 5% hospitalization rate, and a 0.5% fatality rate, we would see 115 hospitalizations and 11 deaths, just from the nearly 2,300 cases we are announcing today.

“This will cause increasing strain on our already overworked medical professionals, and leave even more families with an empty chair at their dinner table. And that is to say nothing of the long-term effects many more of these Utahns will face, even as they recover. We cannot be too cautious in our efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.”

The three who died, bringing Utah’s total COVID deaths to 601, were:

  • A Davis County woman between ages 65 and 84, a resident of a long-term care facility
  • A Salt Lake County man between ages 25 and 44, hospitalized at the time of death
  • A Tooele County man between ages 44 and 65, hospitalized at the time of death

The new 2,292 cases bring Utah’s positive case total to 112,932. The previous daily record, 1,960 positive cases, was set on Oct. 23.

Total tests administered in Utah since the beginning of the pandemic number 1,073,637. Of those, 10,346 were tested in the past 24 hours.

The rolling seven-day average for positive tests is 1,622 per day. The rolling seven-day average for percent of positive laboratory tests is record-breaking 18.2%. The previous record of 17.9% positive tests was Wednesday.

Currently, 318 people are hospitalized in Utah with coronavirus. That is one more than the previous record, set Thursday. Total hospitalizations from the beginning of the outbreak are 5,395.

Below, find a charge with the numbers broken down by area of the state.

Source Utah Department of Health

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