Editor’s note • The Salt Lake Tribune is providing free access to critical stories about the coronavirus. Sign up for our Top Stories newsletter, sent to your inbox every weekday morning. To support journalism like this, please donate or become a subscriber.
A record number of patients with COVID-19 were hospitalized in intensive care units Saturday in Utah as the state reported 2,150 more cases and 13 deaths.
The new high number, 231, surpasses the previous ICU record of 213. There were 210 ICU patients Friday and 194 on Thursday.
The rate of positive tests remained down from last week at about 20% Saturday.
Vaccinations reported in past day/total vaccinations • 9,758 / 152,509.
Cases reported in past day • 2,150.
Deaths reported in past day • 13.
The deaths reported Friday are • Six of the deaths reported Saturday occurred before Dec. 26 and are being reported now because, according to the Utah Department of Health, the Office of the Medical Examiner “conducts thorough investigations of all potential COVID-related deaths,” which “can take several weeks to complete.”
There were three deaths each in Utah County (two men 65-84; one woman 85-plus) and Washington County (two men and a woman 65-84) and two in Salt Lake County (a man 65-84; a woman 85-plus). And there were one each in Box Elder County (a man 65-84), Sanpete County (a man 65-84), Davis County (a man 85-plus), Garfield County (a man 65-84) and Uintah County (a woman 85-plus).
Hospitalizations reported in past day • 581. That’s down three from Friday. Of those currently hospitalized, 231 are in ICUs — 21 more than Friday.
Tests reported in past day • 10,460.
Percentage of positive tests • 20.55%. This is lower than the seven-day average of 24.7%.
Totals to date • 322,252 cases; 1,485 deaths; 12,452 hospitalizations; 1,895,061 tests.
