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Twelve more Utahns died of COVID-19 in the past day, bringing the state’s total death toll to 3,325, according to the Utah Department of Health.
There have been 88 COVID-19 deaths reported since the beginning of November — an average of almost 10 per day.
Since the start of October, the Health Department has reported 382 COVID-19 deaths — 11.5% of the deaths reported in Utah since the start of the pandemic. The state’s first COVID-19 death was reported almost 20 months ago, in March 2020.
The Health Department on Wednesday also reported 1,531 new coronavirus cases in the past day. The rolling seven-day average for positive tests stands at 1,609 per day.
The number of children getting vaccinated continues to climb — 17,383 children ages 5-11 have gotten a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since they became eligible; that’s about 4.7% of kids that age in Utah, according to UDOH.
Intensive care units in the state remain near capacity. According to the Health Department, 92.9% of all ICU beds and 94.8% of ICU beds in larger medical centers are occupied. Of all ICU patients, 46.1% are being treated for COVID-19.
Vaccine doses administered in the past day/total doses administered • 21,016 / 3,874,399.
Cases reported in past day • 1,531.
Cases among school-age children • Kids in grades K-12 accounted for 330 of the new cases announced Tuesday — 21.6% of the total. There were 172 cases reported in children aged 5-10; 77 cases in children 11-13; and 81 cases in children 14-18.
Tests reported in past day • 12,908 people were tested for the first time. A total of 26,544 people were tested.
Deaths reported in past day • 12.
Salt Lake County reported four deaths — a man between the ages of 25-44, a woman 45-64, a man 65-84, and a woman 85-plus. There were three deaths in Washington County — a man 45-64, and two men 65-84.
Two Utah County residents died — both women 65-84. Weber County also reported two deaths — a man 45-64, and a woman 65-84.
A Davis County man 65-84 also died.
Hospitalizations reported in the past day • 571. That is 12 fewer than reported on Tuesday. Of those currently hospitalized, 223 are in intensive care, four fewer than reported on Tuesday.
Percentage of positive tests • Under the state’s original method, the rate is 11.9% over the past day. That is lower than the seven-day average of 17.5%.
The state’s new method counts all test results, including repeated tests of the same individual. Tuesday’s rate was 5.8%, lower than the seven-day average of 11.3%.
[Read more: Utah is changing how it measures the rate of positive COVID-19 tests. Here’s what that means.]
Risk ratios • In the past four weeks, unvaccinated Utahns were 15.6 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than vaccinated people, according to a Utah Department of Health analysis. The unvaccinated also were 11.4 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 3.4 times more likely to test positive for the coronavirus.
Totals to date • 567,665 cases; 3,325 deaths; 24,791 hospitalizations; 3,799,714 people tested.
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