The number of positive coronavirus cases in Utah continues to rise, with 1,012 as the new rolling average for the past week. Iron County reported four new cases since Monday, now totalling 753 according to the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.
In addition, Utah’s death toll rose to 457, with four new deaths reported since Monday in Davis County, Washington County and two in Salt Lake County. 694 new cases were reported in Utah on Tuesday.
Hospitalizations rose on Tuesday as well, with 183 Utah patients currently admitted, according to the Utah Department of Health. On average, 180 patients have been receiving treatment in Utah hospitals each day for the past week.
13.7% of all tests in the past week have come back positive — a rate that indicates a large number of infected people are not being tested, according to state officials.
The worldwide death toll has now surpassed one million, with an average of nearly 5,000 deaths reported daily worldwide, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The United States still holds the lead for most deaths, with 206,000 and rising.
As numbers continue to steadily increase in Iron County as well, Intermountain Healthcare is transitioning to saliva-based COVID-19 testing for patients ages 6 and older. The saliva sample collection method is said to be more comfortable and less invasive than the nasal swabs previously used, according to the Cedar City InstaCare.
For more information on the new form of testing or to schedule an appointment, visit SUU’s coronavirus management page.
Story By: Larissa Beatty
accent@suunews.net
Photo courtesy of SUU.
