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 morning. To support journalism like this, please donate or become a subscriber.
There were 543 new COVID-19 cases diagnosed during the weekend, the Utah Department of Health reported Monday, with a weeklong average of 282 new cases per day — less than one-thirtieth of the peak of the virus’ omicron surge in January.
There were 261 Utahns hospitalized with the coronavirus on Monday, the lowest since mid-July but higher than the 192 hospitalization reported on the same date a year ago.
There were 59 COVID patients in Utah’s intensive care units, which were 71% full as of Monday in the state’s large “referral” hospitals — the lowest occupancy since June. Utah’s large hospitals have remained under 85% since mid-February, meaning there is enough room for new patients and staff absences, and there is not too much demand for specialized equipment and personnel.
The state reported nine new deaths from COVID-19, including a Salt Lake County man younger than 24. Since the pandemic began, 4,461 Utahns have died from the coronavirus.
A UDOH analysis continues to show that booster shots significantly decrease Utahns’ chances of dying of COVID-19. Over the past four weeks:
• An unvaccinated person who contracts the virus is 4.6 times more likely to die than a fully vaccinated person, and 13.6 times more likely than a boosted person.
• An unvaccinated person who contracts the virus is 2.2 times more likely to be hospitalized than a fully vaccinated person, and 5.7 times more likely than a boosted person.
• An unvaccinated person is 1.9 times as likely to contract the virus than a fully vaccinated person, and 2.1 times more likely than a boosted person.
According to state data, 61.2% of Utahns were fully vaccinated as of Thursday. However, just 27% of all Utahns have received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Find where to get vaccinated at coronavirus.utah.gov/vaccine-distribution. Find where to get tested at coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-covid-19-testing-locations.
Vaccine doses administered during the past weekend/total doses administered • 6,112 / 4,962,888.
Number of Utahns fully vaccinated • 1,983,989 — 61.2% of Utah’s total population. That is an increase of 4,231 during the weekend.
Cases reported during the weekend • 543.
Vaccination status • Health officials do not immediately have or release the vaccination status of individuals who test positive, who are hospitalized or who die. They do calculate the overall risk ratios of these outcomes depending on vaccination status, which is listed above.
Tests reported during the weekend • A total of 18,537 people were tested.
Deaths reported during the weekend • Nine. Four of those occurred before Feb. 7.
Salt Lake County reported five deaths: a man younger than 24, a woman age 25-44, a woman 45-64, a man 65-84 and a man older than 84. Washington, Box Elder and Emery counties each reported the deaths of men ages 65-84, and a Sevier County woman age 65-84 also died.
Utahns hospitalized as of today • 261. That is 26 fewer than reported on Friday. Of those currently hospitalized, 59 are in intensive care, seven fewer than Friday.
Percentage of positive tests • Under the state’s original method, the rate was 6% in the past day. That is lower than the seven-day average of 9.4%.
The state’s new method counts all test results, including repeated tests of the same individual. Friday’s rate was 2.9%, lower than the seven-day average of 6%.
[Read more: Utah is changing how it measures the rate of positive COVID-19 tests. Here’s what that means.]
Totals to date • 924,791 cases; 4,461 deaths; 33,497 hospitalizations; 9,282,438 tests administered.
Follow @erinalberty