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Utah hits a 9-month low for new COVID-19 cases, although fewer people than usual were tested

The state also reports no new coronavirus-related deaths.

(Photo courtesy of Intermountain Healthcare) A nurse gives a jab of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at The Orthopedic Surgical Hospital (TOSH) in Murray on Thursday, March 4, 2021 — the first day the new single-shot vaccine was available in Utah.

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Utah reported its lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in more than nine months on Monday — 221. That’s down substantially from the previous day, when 396 new cases were reported.

It comes on a day when fewer than 6,400 people were tested. But the last time there were fewer new cases was June 9, when that number was 196.

The Utah Department of Health also reported no additional coronavirus-related fatalities. According to current information from UDOH, the last date on which there were no deaths was Sept. 15.

Vaccine doses administered in past day/total doses administered • 1,671 / 1,010,700.

Utahns fully vaccinated • 365,587.

Cases reported in past day • 221.

Deaths reported in past day • None.

Hospitalizations reported in past day • 164. That’s down three from Sunday. Of those currently hospitalized, 59 are in intensive care units — four fewer than on Sunday.

Tests reported in past day • 3,293 people were tested for the first time. A total of 6,382 people were tested.

Percentage of positive tests • Under the state’s original method, the rate is 6.7%. That’s lower than the seven-day average of 8.2%.

Its new method counts all test results, including repeated tests of the same individual. Monday’s rate is now at 3.7%, slightly lower than the seven-day average of 4.0%.

[Read more: Utah is changing how it measures the rate of positive COVID-19 tests. Here’s what that means.]

Totals to date • 378,600 cases; 2,027 deaths; 15,129 hospitalizations; 2,293,096 people tested.

This story is developing and will be updated.