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(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) University of Utah Health begins administering second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as pharmacy resident Chanah Gallagher prepares to give registered nurse Christy Mulder at MICU, his second dose Thursday, January 7, 2021.
The rate of positive COVID-19 tests in Utah continues to decline, a sign that the spread of the coronavirus is slowing, health officials explained.
The Utah Department of Health reported on Thursday that about 17% of tests were positive, and that was about double the number from last week.
But the death toll continues to rise. Eleven more deaths were reported Thursday, bringing the total to 101 last week – 7% of total COVID-19 deaths in Utah since the start of the pandemic.
“We are certainly moving in the right direction,” with the rate of positive tests falling, state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn said at a press conference Thursday. “You are doing the right things. Please keep doing them. “
Yet while the vaccine rollout is “a light at the end of the tunnel,” Dr Eddie Stenehjem said of infectious diseases at another press conference, it “also allows people to become a little more lax.” on the spread of COVID-19.
“We are by no means out of the woods on this. … Collective immunity is a way out, ”he warned.
Vaccinations reported the day before / total vaccinations • 8.318 / 133.202.
Cases reported the day before • 2.742.
Deaths reported the day before • 11.
Deaths reported on Wednesday • All but one of the deaths were in people aged 65 and over.
There have been two deaths in Salt Lake County, both women aged 65 to 84. There were also two deaths in Utah County (one man aged 65 to 84 and another over 85); Washington County (a woman and a man aged 65 to 84); and Weber County (two males aged 65 to 84).
There was one death each in Davis County (male, 45 to 64); Iron County (male, 65 to 84) and Kane County (male, 65 to 84).
Hospitalizations reported the day before • 559. It is seven times less than Wednesday. Of those currently hospitalized, 194 are in intensive care units – the same as on Wednesday.
Tests reported the day before • 16.231.
Percentage of positive tests • 16.89%. This is more than 9% below the seven-day average of 26%.
Totals to date • 317,559 cases; 1,460 deaths; 12,249 hospitalizations; 1,871,616 tests.
Stenehjem said he was “cautiously optimistic” that Utah’s post-Christmas surge in COVID-19 cases would subside, although doctors were not sure for five to seven days.
The decline in the state’s test positivity rate – the seven-day average of 26% on Thursday was down from a high of 33% a few weeks ago – is “a good sign,” Stenehjem said, although that “far from where we need it. to be, notice.
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