State Reports 343 New Cases Of COVID-19; Largest Single-Day Increase So Far
May 29, 2020, 1:08 PM | Updated: 1:20 pm
(Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The state has reported 343 new cases of COVID-19 in Utah and one new death.
It’s the largest single-day increase of cases so far, with a rate of 3.8% over Thursday’s numbers.
State epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn said she would “caution against jumping to conclusions,” noting that it does not necessarily indicate a trend.
“This increase could partially be explained by the lull we experienced in testing over the holiday weekend,” Dunn said in a statement. “It could also be that we are experiencing an actual uptick in cases, including in localized areas that are experiencing outbreaks, such as in the Salt Lake Veteran’s Nursing Home.”
She noted that low and moderate risk does not mean “no risk” when it comes to preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
“We all have a responsibility to be proactive and to do the things we know will help limit the spread of this virus,” Dunn said. “Stay home if you’re sick, practice good hand hygiene, maintain social distancing, and when that’s not possible, wear a mask.”
Dunn said health officials anticipated seeing new cases of COVID-19 as the state started to loosen restrictions. There are other important measures to consider as well, though, including new hospitalizations and the transmission rate.
“The statewide transmission rate stands at 1.1 today, and ICU utilization remains well below our threshold level,” she said. “We will continue to watch our daily case counts closely, with the goal of preventing widespread, community transmission.”
There have been a total of 9,264 reported cases and 107 deaths in the state so far.
Of the confirmed cases, 753 required hospitalization. Currently, there are 101 patients hospitalized for treatment of the coronavirus.
According to UDOH, the state has issued 205,855 tests, and an estimated 5,813 patients have recovered.