Friday marks the largest single day increase in positive COVID-19 cases in Utah.
Friday the Utah Department of Health announced 343 new cases, but State Epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn was quick to add that one day does not make a trend, noting that over the past two weeks the state has seen a three percent increase in daily cases.
"As the state has started to loosen restrictions, we anticipated seeing new cases," Dunn explained. "But there are other important measures to consider as well. Namely the proxy transmission rate, which we base on new hospitalizations, and ICU utilization. The statewide transmission rate stands at 1.1 today, and ICU utilization remains well below our threshold level.”
Dr. Dunn also said the increase could be explained by a lull of testing over the three-day weekend or an actual uptick in places that are experiencing outbreaks such as the Salt Lake Veteran’s Nursing Home.
Over the past week Summit County has seen a 1.9% rate of increase in cases from 404 cases to 412. The total number of hospitalizations stayed the same at 37. Wasatch County saw a 16% increase of total confirmed cases from 222 to 265 and an increase of two total hospitalizations from 10 to 12.
The state of Utah has defined recovered cases as a case with a diagnosis date of more than three weeks ago, who has not passed away. According to that definition 384 Summit County residents with COVID-19 have recovered, and 172 have recovered in Wasatch County.
"It is important for members of the public to remember that low and moderate risk does not mean 'no risk'," Dunn continued. "We all have a responsibility to be proactive and to do the things we know will help limit the spread of this virus: stay home if you're sick, practice good hand hygiene, maintain social distancing, and when that's not possible, wear a mask.”
