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Utah on track to break single-day record for new coronavirus cases

Preliminary data shows about 4,700 new cases on Dec. 31

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Syringes for Utah County residents to get their COVID-19 vaccinations in a former Shopko store in Spanish Fork, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021.

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Utah is set to close 2021 by breaking its record for highest new coronavirus cases in a day. Unofficial data from the Utah Department of Health show about 4,700 new cases on Dec. 31, they reported on Twitter.

“This would be one of the largest, if not the largest, single-day case count,” the Department of Health said. “Omicron is here, and it is on the move”

The Department of Health doesn’t typically release data on case counts during holidays and weekends, so these numbers are still a preliminary report.

The institution urged Utahns to get vaccines and booster shots. They also recommended those planning to attend gatherings this weekend to wear face masks.

This is the third day in a row that the state has reported a number of new coronavirus cases not seen in Utah for nearly a year. On Thursday, 3,563 new cases were reported in the state — 260 more new cases than the 3,842 reported in Utah on Jan. 7.