The Utah Department of Health reported just over 2,000 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday as statewide metrics, including those in Summit and Wasatch County, continue to decline after a holiday surge.
With 2,150 COVID-19 cases reported on Saturday, the statewide rolling seven-day average of positive tests dropped to 2,315, according to the Utah Department of Health.
Also declining is the seven-day average for the percent of positive laboratory tests, which is now 24.7%, down from a record high of nearly 33% at the new year.
Summit and Wasatch county both saw trends in the right direction as well, with Summit reporting 46 new cases and Wasatch 28.
Both counties reported an average for the percent of positive tests of roughly 26%. Although above the statewide average, both county averages have declined some this week.
The Health Department reported three fewer hospitalizations on Saturday, bringing the total number of Utahns currently hospitalized with the disease to 581. However, the statewide COVID-19 referral center ICU capacity has climbed to 98%. Hospitalizations and ICU capacity have both been increasing in recent weeks.
13 additional deaths were also reported, raising the statewide death toll to 1,485. None of Saturday’s deaths were from either Summit or Wasatch Counties.
Despite the Health Department announcing that the highly contagious ‘UK variant’ of the virus was found in Utah on Friday, state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn said the variant does not appear to be more severe than others and all currently approved COVID-19 vaccines seem to be effective.
In total, over 152,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered.
