4 More COVID-19 Deaths Reported In Utah; 601 Additional Cases
Jul 9, 2020, 11:36 AM | Updated: 1:02 pm
(Photo by Kevin Winter/ Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – There have been an increase of 601 positive coronavirus cases in the state of Utah, with 4 more deaths.
The Utah Department of Health has reported 27,356 positive cases since the pandemic began, and a total of 205 fatalities related to COVID-19, the disease associated with the virus.
Salt Lake County had two of the deaths, including a woman between the ages of 25 and 44 and a man between the ages of 45 to 64.
A Washington County woman between the ages 65 to 84 and a San Juan County man between the ages of 45 to 64 have also died.
All four were hospitalized at the time of their deaths.
Nearly 389,000 tests have been administered in Utah. Over the last seven days, officials reported a 9.9 percent rate of positive tests.
LIVE: Gov. Gary Herbert and state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn are holding a press conference with updates on the state's efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19
Posted by KSL 5 TV on Thursday, July 9, 2020
During their weekly coronavirus briefing Thursday, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert addressed the state’s surge in new cases since restrictions were eased.
He said the mistake may have been communication of the risk color codes. The state began at Red, or high risk of spread, went to Orange, or moderate risk, and to Yellow, or low risk in the middle of May.
There was speculation the governor could announce a mandate to wear face masks. Rather than a statewide mandate, Herbert announced a requirement for all people within K-12 schools in the state to wear face coverings.
Herbert strongly encouraged Utahns to wear masks to help ease the spread and keep their neighbors healthy.
“I want to give the people of Utah the opportunity to show what kind of people they are,” he said, asking people to wear masks voluntarily.
He said the choices were to wear face masks, or roll back the coronavirus risk level to Orange.
“We all know the ultimate results or not complying,” he said. “We’ll have to make the disappointing decision to roll back… to Orange or issue a mandate wearing masks.”
Coronavirus Resources
- Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL TV 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
- What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus
- Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered
- The latest coronavirus stories from KSL TV can be found at our Staying Safe: Coronavirus section.
- Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?
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 are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
How To Get Help
If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, you can contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth services through your healthcare providers.
Additional Resources
If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.