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For the first time since June 9, Utah on Monday reported fewer than 300 new cases of the coronavirus, along with nine new deaths.
The Utah Department of Health reported 263 new diagnoses Monday, down from Saturday and Sunday’s reports of 376 new cases each.
For the past week, Utah has averaged 400 new confirmed cases per day, the Utah Department of Health reported. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has said he wants the seven-day average to be below 400 new cases per day by Sept. 1.
The rate of tests with positive results was at 8.9% on Monday, continuing a decline that began late last week. State epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn has said a 3% positivity rate would indicate the virus is under control.
Statewide, Utah's rate of positive tests had been above 9% since mid-June, according to UDOH data.
The number of test results reported was down to 3,947 on Monday, below the past week’s average of 4,911 new tests per day. Low testing demand has persisted in Utah since late July; in mid-July, the state was reporting more than 7,000 new test results per day, on average.
Hospitalizations were down slightly Monday, with 193 Utah patients currently admitted, UDOH reported. On average, 191 patients have been receiving treatment in Utah hospitals each day for the past week — a figure that has been declining for about a week and a half after a peak average of 211.
In total, 2,642 patients have been hospitalized in Utah for COVID-19, up 22 from Sunday.
Utah’s death toll from the coronavirus stood at 345 on Monday, with nine fatalities reported since Sunday. Seven of those were Salt Lake County residents:
A man, age 65 to 84, who lived in a long-term care facility.
A man, age 65 to 84, who died in a hospital.
A woman, older than 85, not hospitalized at time of death
A man, age 65 to 84, who died in a hospital.
A woman, older than 85, who lived in a long-term care facility.
A man, age 25 to 44, who died in a hospital.
A woman, age 45 to 64, who died in a hospital.
The two others who died were:
A Grand County man, older than 85, who died in a hospital.
A Washington County woman, older than 85, who lived in a long-term care facility.
Also Monday was the scheduled services for Melissa Hamblin, of Syracuse. An obituary published by her family says she died Aug. 4 of complications from COVID-19. Hamblin was 90.
Of 44,390 Utahns who have tested positive for COVID-19, 34,319 are considered “recovered” — that is, they have survived for at least three weeks after being diagnosed.
Nate Carlisle contributed to this report.