In this week’s report from the Utah Department of Health, Summit County logged 56 new COVID cases, and Wasatch County had 49.
Actual numbers of how many people have the virus are assumed to be much higher because many people aren’t getting tested - or they’re testing at home and not reporting positive results to local health departments.
Wasatch County Health Department Epidemiologist Chris Smoot said while COVID numbers are going up slightly, it’s “not quite a spike” and “not overly concerning.” That’s in part because health experts expected winter months to come with a rise in illnesses in general.
He said the guidance remains the same as in recent months, during which Summit and Wasatch counties have been in “low” transmission status: Stay home when sick, wash hands, don’t cough on people.
On new variants that have appeared in recent months, Smoot says “[it’s] really too early to know their direct impact, other than just we keep seeing the virus changing and mutating, and that's why I guess we have to be a little vigilant.”
Hospitals statewide such as Primary Children’s in Salt Lake City have reported high numbers of patients, even reaching capacity in recent weeks, largely as a result of surging RSV cases, as well as the flu and COVID.
“It seems like RSV was the major driver the past month, and flu is starting to pick up now,” Smoot says. “I wouldn't say COVID was the primary driver of that, just the concern is with with all three illnesses at the same time, if that's going to tip the scales or anything. But, luckily they seem like they're okay at Heber Valley Hospital.”
A link to more information about COVID in Utah and its specific counties is available at coronavirus-dashboard.utah.gov.