The Utah Department of Health recorded 3,945 new COVID-19 cases Thursday as the state’s post-Thanksgiving spike continues. Summit County saw an increase in positive cases as well.
Summit County’s report of 41 new COVID-19 infections was the county’s second highest total since the start of the pandemic in March. The county’s record of 46 cases in a day was set on November 5th.
After a record-shattering day of 73 cases on Wednesday, Wasatch County recorded 49 new cases on Thursday.
Wasatch County recently surpassed Summit County in their total number of COVID-19 cases, with Wasatch County now at 2,374 to Summit County’s 2,331. Wasatch County’s population is roughly 20% smaller than Summit County’s.
Wasatch County Health Director Randall Probst said at Wednesday’s County Council meeting the county only started to catch up to Summit County’s numbers in the last few weeks.
Statewide, Utah recorded 3,945 new COVID-19 infections as a post-Thanksgiving spike in cases continues. The rolling seven-day average of positive tests is now at 2,627 per day. The average of positive laboratory tests is 24.2%. Both numbers have been steadily increasing since Monday.
At Thursday’s weekly COVID-19 briefing, Governor Gary Herbert said an increase in cases after the holiday was expected and the full extent of the surge is still not known.
There are currently 597 people hospitalized with the disease and 88.8% of referral-center ICU beds are now occupied.
The Health Department also announced 11 new statewide deaths, nine men and two women, all over the age of 45. None of Thursday’s reported deaths were from either Summit or Wasatch County.
917 Utahns have died of COVID-19 this year, including five from Summit County and 13 from Wasatch County.
Summit and Wasatch Counties, along with all but three other counties in the state, are considered to be high transmission areas, according to the Department of Health. Masks are required in public statewide and social gatherings are recommended to be no larger than 10 people.
