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On Sunday, the Utah Department of Health reported 389 new COVID-19 cases in the state, as well as 13 deaths. Nine of those deaths occurred before March 1.
While the state was seeing a decrease in cases since mid-January, this week, the amount of daily cases reported tapered off.
Vaccine doses administered in past day/total doses administered • 14,628 / 1,304,319.
Utahns fully vaccinated • 477,700.
Earlier this week, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it would not be requiring its missionaries serving in Utah to be vaccinated — even as the state opens up appointments to all people over the age of 16.
The faith encourages its members to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s example and be inoculated against COVID-19, but also says it’s an individual decision.
Over the past seven days, the state also saw cases dip below 500. On Monday, Utah saw its lowest case numbers reported since May 2020 — just 159. The Beehive State also celebrated a milestone this week: More than 450,000 people in Utah are now fully vaccinated.
Deaths reported in past day • 13.
Utah County reported three deaths: Two men, one 45-64 and one 85-plus, and a woman 85-plus.
Box Elder County reported three deaths: A man 65-84, and a man and woman both 85-plus.
Weber County reported two deaths: A man 45-64 and a woman 85-plus.
Five counties each reported a single death: a Salt Lake County man 65-84; a Tooele County woman 85-plus; a Cache County man 65-84; a Sevier County woman 65-84; and a Davis County woman 65-84.
Hospitalizations reported in past day • 142. That’s up five from Saturday. Of those currently hospitalized, 56 are in intensive care units — the same amount as reported on Saturday.
Tests reported in past day • 4,704 people were tested for the first time. A total of 8,316 people were tested.
Percentage of positive tests • Under the state’s original method, the rate is 8.3%. That’s higher than the seven-day average of 7%.
Its new method counts all test results, including repeated tests of the same individual. Sunday’s rate is now at 4.7%, higher than the seven-day average of 3.5%.
[Read more: Utah is changing how it measures the rate of positive COVID-19 tests. Here’s what that means.]
Totals to date • 384,562 cases; 2,114 deaths; 15,462 hospitalizations; 2,372,721 people tested.
