14 More Utahns Die Of COVID-19; 551 People Hospitalized
Nov 21, 2020, 12:58 PM | Updated: 3:11 pm
(Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Another 14 Utahns have died of COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to 787. An increase of 3,395 people have tested positive for the virus.
The number of people hospitalized has climbed to 551.
Officials from the Utah Department of Health said 3,395 additional people have tested positive for coronavirus.
Testing
The Utah Department of Health reported that a total of 1,315,034 residents have been tested for COVID-19 so far – an increase of 16,270 since Friday.
Of those, a total of 173,979 have tested positive for the virus. That’s an increase of 3,395 cases over the last day.
The rolling seven-day average for positive tests was 3,229 per day, and the rolling seven-day average for percent of positive laboratory tests was 23.7 percent.
Officials expected the number of tests to increase, as universities across the state began weekly testing for asymptomatic students in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The rate of positive tests since Friday was 20.9 percent.
Hospitalizations
The health department reported 551 people were being treated for COVID-19 in Utah hospitals. Total hospitalizations since the pandemic began was 7,458 people.
Deaths
The latest deaths included 3 women and 11 men. Six were residents of long-term care facilities, seven were hospitalized at the time of their deaths, and one was not hospitalized when he died.
One woman was between the ages of 25 to 44, one man was between the age of 45 to 64, nine people were between the ages of 65 to 84 and two were older than 85.
Salt Lake County
Seven of the most recent COVID-19 deaths were residents of Salt Lake County, bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 377.
Three of the deaths were women. One was between the ages of 25 to 44 and was being treated in the hospital when she died. A woman between the ages of 65 to 84 and another older than 85 were both long-term care facility residents.
All four men who died of COVID-19 in the county since Friday were between the ages of 65 to 84. Three were hospitalized at the time of death and one was a long-term care facility resident.
Emery County
An Emery County man died of the disease. He was between the ages of 65 to 84, and had been hospitalized.
His was the fourth death in the county, and eighth reported in the region covered by the Southeast Utah Health Department, which also covers Carbon and Grand counties.
Sevier County
A man between the ages of 65 to 84 was the third death of a Sevier County resident. He was not hospitalized at the time of his death.
His was the 16th death in the area covered by the Central Utah Health Department, which also covers Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete and Wayne counties.
Utah County
A Utah County man older than 85 who was a long-term care facility resident has also died.
The county has reported 118 COVID-19 deaths
Washington County
Officials said a Washington County man between the ages of 45 to 64 has also died. He was hospitalized at the time of death.
The county has reported 67 deaths.
Wasatch County
A Wasatch County man between the ages of 65 to 84 died of COVID-19 complications. He had been living in a long-term care facility.
Health officials have reported 12 virus-related deaths in the county.
Weber County
Two Weber County men died of COVID-19 since Friday. One was between the ages of 65 to 84 and hospitalized when he died. The other was over than 85 and living in a long-term care facility.
The Weber-Morgan health district that covers both counties has reported 50 total deaths – 47 of which were in Weber County.
National/World Update
There have been over 11.9 confirmed cases of the virus in the United States, and just under 255,000 deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, according to John Hopkins University of Medicine.
They also reported nearly 57.9 cases across the globe and 1,377,000 deaths.
With roughly 4 percent of the world population, the US accounted for 21 percent of all coronavirus cases worldwide, and 19 percent of all deaths.
The first US case was confirmed on January 21, 2020. The number of new cases in the nation has skyrocketed in November, with a spike significantly higher than any other country.
Coronavirus Resources
Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.
What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy: ksltv.com/432037/what-is-covid-19/
Latest coronavirus stories from KSL can be found at ksltv.com/coronavirus/.
Where in the world has the coronavirus already appeared? See the map: ksltv.com/?p=432035
Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus: ksltv.com/?p=432060
How do I prevent it?
The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:
- Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
- Avoid touching your face
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
- If soap and water is not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
The CDC does not recommend wearing a respirator face mask to protect yourself from coronavirus unless a healthcare professional recommends it.