COVID-19 in Utah: State surpasses 500,000 cases

Sep 24, 2021, 2:29 PM

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2021, file photo, a syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic at the Reading Area Community College in Reading, Pa. An influential panel of advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met on Wednesday, Sept. 22, to decide who should get COVID-19 booster shots and when. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

BY SIMONE SEIKALY

Digital Content Producer

SALT LAKE CITY — On Friday the Utah Department of Health reported that 500,698 people in Utah have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since reporting began in March of 2020. That number includes 1,672 new cases since the last reporting date, which was Thursday.

Related: Utah County wants a new plan for COVID-19 in schools

In addition, the agency reported that 587 Utahns were hospitalized for COVID-19 on Friday. Another nine Utahns died as the result of coronavirus.

COVID-19 and school-age children

Utah health officials said of the 1,672 new cases, 358 were among school-age children; included in that number is 148 new cases among children ages 5 – 10, 96 new cases among children ages 11 – 13, and 114 new cases among teens ages 14 – 17.

Vaccines and risk assessment

More than 5,100 more Utahns received the COVID-19 vaccine in the latest UDOH numbers. To date, health officials in Utah have administered 3,416,501 vaccine doses.

According to the health department, for the last 28 days, the risk of coming down with COVID-19 is 6.5 times greater for unvaccinated Utahns. For hospitalization, the risk to the unvaccinated is 7.6 times greater than that of vaccinated Utahns. And health officials report unvaccinated Utahns face 5.3 times greater risk of death than vaccinated Utahns.

Rolling averages and trends

According to UDOH, the rolling 7-day average for positive COVID-19 tests in Utah is 1,390 per day.

Health officials report an increase of 10,009 Utahns tested for COVID-19 since the day before, and an increase of 18,359 tests performed.

Related: Trends found from COVID-19 sewage samples across Utah

That means the rolling 7-day average of people testing positive in Utah is 13.6%, and the rolling 7-day average of total positive test results is 9.9%.

How To Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus

COVID-19 coronavirus spreads person to person, similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:

Wash hands frequently and thoroughly, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
Don’t touch your face.
Wear a mask to protect yourself and others per CDC recommendations.
Keep children and those with compromised immune systems away from someone who is coughing or sneezing (in this instance, at least six feet).
If there is an outbreak near you, practice social distancing (stay at home, instead of going to the movies, sports events, or other activities).
Obtain a flu shot.
Seek out the COVID-19 vaccine.