Dr. Kencee Graves talks with members of the U.S. Navy as they arrive to help the College of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake Metropolis on Wednesday. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information)
Estimated learn time: 4-5 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah well being officers reported 19 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, together with 461 new instances.
The rolling, seven-day common for brand new optimistic checks is now 405 per day. The seven-day common for optimistic checks is at the moment 13.2%, persevering with a decline, in line with the Utah Division of Well being.
It additionally reported Wednesday that one other 3,882 folks in Utah have been examined and a couple of,434 have been vaccinated. And, faculty kids accounted for 45 of the 461 new instances. Of these, 25 instances have been kids between ages 5 and 10, 5 have been ages 11-13, and 15 have been ages 14-17.
At the moment, 306 persons are hospitalized within the state with COVID-19, in line with the well being division, with 63 of these sufferers in intensive care. A number of weeks in the past, in mid-January, there have been greater than 600 folks hospitalized with COVID-19, together with a whole bunch within the ICU.
ICU capability is now at 71%, and ICU referral facilities are 73% full — each beneath the warning ranges.
On the peak of the omicron variant’s affect on the state’s hospitals, there have been 853 COVID-19 patents hospitalized. Now the state is on the lowest COVID-19 hospitalization ranges that it has seen since July 22, shortly after the delta variant grew to become prevalent in Utah.
U.S. Navy helps with surgical procedure backlog
A medical group of 20 United States Navy officers despatched by the nation’s Division of Protection arrived on the College of Utah Hospital on Wednesday to begin a 30-day deployment to help with a backlog of surgical procedures.
Surgical procedures have been placed on maintain whereas the omicron variant took lots of the hospital’s assets. Having further medically skilled folks will imply the hospital can open extra beds and reschedule surgical procedures which were placed on maintain.
This deployment is a part of the Division of Protection’s efforts to help the whole-of-government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is in collaboration with state leaders, in line with a U. Well being press launch.
“Whereas we’re seeing declining numbers in COVID instances, 52 beds stay out of service due to staffing shortages,” Dr. Michael Good, CEO at College of Utah Well being, mentioned.
He mentioned the hospital deferred a whole bunch of surgical procedures and was compelled into “onerous choices” relating to whether or not to take switch sufferers through the wave of omicron variant COVID-19 infections.
“Due to FEMA and with the assistance of colleagues from the Division of Protection, which is able to give attention to treating COVID-positive sufferers, we will start to handle these challenges and supply wanted care to all sufferers in Utah and all through the Mountain West,” Good mentioned.
The medical group of physicians, respiratory therapists, directors and primarily nurses will give attention to direct affected person care wants.
The press launch defined that the U. Hospital is commonly the very best or solely choice for essentially the most complicated sufferers within the space, and that help from the federal authorities will enable for these sufferers to be served extra shortly.
“We’re grateful for this help … and the continuing collaboration with our state leaders to assist restore our operations.” Good mentioned.
Just lately reported COVID-19 deaths
In Wednesday’s report, well being officers introduced 19 new deaths, bringing the state’s COVID-19 loss of life toll to 4,436 all through the pandemic.
Of people that died with COVID-19, 43.4% had a pre-existing situation, 81.3% have been thought-about excessive danger as a result of they have been over 65 or had a pre-existing situation, and 59.6% have been hospitalized after they died. Males have accounted for simply over 60% of the COVID-19 deaths in Utah.
The deaths reported Wednesday symbolize 10 totally different counties all through the state. Solely one of many people was youthful than 65, and 11 have been older than 85.
The most recent COVID-19 deaths in Utah embody:
- A Tooele County lady between 65 and 84, it’s unknown whether or not she was hospitalized or at a long-term care facility.
- A Salt Lake County lady, over 85, long-term care facility resident.
- A Davis County lady, over 85, unknown if hospitalized or in a long-term care facility.
- A Juab County lady, over 85, unknown if hospitalized or in a long-term care facility.
- A Weber County lady, 65-84, unknown if hospitalized or in a long-term care facility.
- A Utah County man, over 85, not hospitalized.
- A Utah County lady, over 85, not hospitalized.
- A Sevier County man, over 85, unknown if hospitalized or in a long-term care facility.
- A Salt Lake County man, 65-84, hospitalized.
- A Cache County man, 65-84, unknown if hospitalized or in a long-term care facility.
- A Washington County man, over 85, not hospitalized.
- A Uintah County man, over 85, not hospitalized.
- A Salt Lake County man, over 85, not hospitalized.
- Two Salt Lake County males, 65-84, each not hospitalized.
- A Washington County man, 65-84, not hospitalized.
- A Utah County man, over 85, hospitalized.
- A Salt Lake County man, over 85, unknown if hospitalized or in a long-term care facility.
- A Uintah County lady, 45-64, hospitalized.