Utah has surpassed 500,000 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began

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The Utah Department of Health announced on Friday that more than 500,000 cases of coronavirus have occurred in Utah since the pandemic began.

1,672 new cases have been reported in the past day, bringing the total number of cases recorded across the state to 500,698.

The Utah hospital’s intensive care unit occupies 91% of its capacity. At Intermountain Healthcare, the number is 97-100%, according to Brandon Webb, an infectious disease doctor.

According to Webb, 80-85% of all COVID-19 patients admitted to Intermountain Hospital are unvaccinated. Over 90% of patients with COVID-19 in the Intermountain ICU are unvaccinated, and over 90% of patients on mechanical ventilation are unvaccinated.

According to Webb, more than 90% of Intermountain patients who died of COVID-19 have not been vaccinated.

“We never share these numbers with vaccine shame,” Webb said. “But at the same time, we want people to provide the right information.”

So far, there have been 16,237 breakthrough infections in Utah. Less than 1% of fully vaccinated people were positive for coronavirus. Among young and healthy patients suffering from breakthrough infections, the symptoms are usually “much milder,” Webb said. “Vaccination has a great protective effect,” says Webb, even among older patients and those with comorbidities.

Fully vaccinated patients suffering from breakthrough infections are 70-80% less likely to be hospitalized. Also, hospitalized people are 70-80% less likely to be ventilated or die of COVID-19.

“It’s really important to understand that vaccines continue to be effective in preventing infections. They maintain protection against symptomatic diseases,” Webb said. “But most importantly, they are the most effective means of preventing hospitalization, ventilator, and death.”

On Friday, the Utah Department of Health reported nine more COVID-19 deaths. The four who died were under the age of 65.

The State Department of Health has announced that school-age children account for 21% of new coronavirus cases, for a total of 358 cases. There were 148 cases of children aged 5 to 10 years. 96 children aged 11 to 13 years. 114 cases in children aged 14 to 18 years.

The 7-day rolling average of positive tests is 1,390 per day.

In the last four weeks, unvaccinated Utahns were 5.3 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than vaccinated people, according to a state health department analysis. Unvaccinated people were 7.6 times more likely to be hospitalized and 6.5 times more likely to test positive for coronavirus.

The other day, another 3,011 states of Utah were fully vaccinated, bringing the total to 1,669,819. That’s 51% of Utah’s total population.

Vaccine dose given in the last day / total dose given • 5,159 / 3,416,501.

Fully vaccinated Utahns • 1,669,819.

Cases reported in the last day • 1,672..

Deaths reported in the last day • Nine.

Four people died in Salt Lake County: men and women aged 45-64 and two women aged 65-84.

Utah County reported two deaths — both 45-64 men.

Women 65-84 in Duchesne County, women 65-84 in Iron County, and men 65-84 in Washington County also died.

Tests reported in the last day • 10,009 people were tested for the first time. A total of 18,359 people were tested.

Hospitalizations reported in the last day • 587. That’s 25 more than reported Thursday. Of the patients currently hospitalized, 226 are in the intensive care unit, three more than reported Thursday.

Percentage of positive tests • In a state-specific way, the percentage for the past day is 16.7%. This is higher than the 7-day average of 13.6%.

The state’s new method counts all test results, including repeated tests for the same individual. The rate reported on Thursday was 9.9%, the same as the 7-day average.

[Read more: Utah is changing how it measures the rate of positive COVID-19 tests. Here’s what that means.]

Total up to now • 500,698 cases; 2,869 deaths. 21,749 hospitalizations; 3,404,589 tested.

Summit County has enacted orders requiring masks at local junior and senior high schools in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak. This reflects elementary school orders in the county and does not include high schools.

The county health director, Dr. Phil Bondurant, issued the order. If 2% of school students and faculty members test positive for coronavirus within 2 weeks, a face cover is required. It takes effect on Monday and lasts until the end of the year — the same as an elementary school order.

“This order is another mitigation strategy aimed at keeping schools open, limiting the impact of outbreaks, and bypassing the test-to-stay protocol until vaccines are available later this fall. “We offer,” said Bondurant.