Saturday brings daily increase in COVID-19 cases, the second highest in Utah

Salt Lake City — Utah health officials reported another 1,608 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, showing the second highest number of COVID-19 cases per day in Beehive.

According to the Utah Department of Health, cases were reported from 10,069 tests with a positive rate of 16%. The 7-day rolling average for new cases is 1,396 per day, with an average positive test rate of 15.9%.

On Friday, the state confirmed just under 2,000 cases. This is the record since the beginning of the pandemic.

This week in Utah, more than 100,000 cases have been tested since the start of the pandemic, and one million people have been tested. On the other hand, more than 75,000 cases are considered to have recovered after surviving 3 weeks after diagnosis. This means that about 2.3% of Utah’s population has some degree of immunity to the disease.

But how strong is COVID-19 immunity and how long will it last?

The researchers’ current belief is that almost anyone who recovers from a new coronavirus will start an antibody reaction when exposed to it again because certain cells recognize the virus, scientists at the University of Utah. Stephen Goldstein, who focuses on immunology and coronaviruses in, said.

However, the higher the level of virus in the system, the more antibodies are produced, Goldstein told Deseret News in a recent interview.

People can be re-infected with four common seasonal coronaviruses after six months, but it is more common to re-infect after one year, Goldstein said. Researchers believe that it is likely to be the same with COVID-19.

“Probably a fairly good protection from reinfection for six months,” Goldstein said.

It is also possible to re-infect, but the innate immune response and antibodies from the initial infection reduce the chance of developing serious symptoms.

According to Goldstein, data on whether the virus is contagious when infected a second time is still limited, but because the virus cannot replicate like the first virus, it is “lowly contagious.” I can assume. ” time.

But in the case of viruses, it’s important for different people to know that “everything is on the spectrum,” Goldstein said. Some can be re-infected after 3 months, while others can be protected for 5 years.

Most people are infected with some of the four common cold coronaviruses early in childhood, when they are least likely to develop a serious illness. However, because COVID-19 is new, no one started developing antibodies as a kid, Goldstein said.

“Hopefully the second time will be less serious. If it’s the third or fourth time, I’ll vaccinate,” he said.

New case

Currently, almost all counties in Utah consider the incidence of this disease to be “very high.” Within the last two weeks, more than 200 per 100,000 people have tested positive for the disease in these counties, according to the State Department of Health over the past two weeks. According to the Department of Health, northern Washington County is the only region with a “high” rate rather than a “very high” rate.

However, some communities have seen rates much higher than the threshold, with more than 600 cases per 100,000 people in the last two weeks. Salt Lake County includes West Jordan / Copperton, Riverton / Bluffdale, Salt Lake City’s Rose Park District, West Valley City, and Drapers. More than 600 cases per 100,000 people across the state, including Smithfield, Farmington, Provo, Brigham Young University, Herriman, Eagle Mountain, Cedar Valley, Lehi, Spanish Fork, Branding, Monticello, Nephi / Mona, and Southern Utah. Can be seen.

With a continuous surge on Thursday, the state classified all but eight counties into high-level infection categories. This sets mask requirements in public and limits meetings to 10 or less.

On Saturday, a small group of protesters gathered at the State Capitol to speak with Governor Gary Herbert in opposition to his restrictions, including restrictions on the rally. The rally organizers urged others to “join large groups, whether masked or not,” in order to resist the “tyrant’s orders.”

Currently, 310 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 throughout Utah hospitals, 110 of whom are in the intensive care unit. A little less than 130 hospitalizations are in Salt Lake County. The intensive care unit is 72.8% full and the non-intensive care unit is 53.8% full.

Hospital officials continued to warn on FridayHowever, in terms of nurses and doctors who can care for patients with the most serious illnesses, they are approaching their abilities. The University of Utah’s intensive care unit was 99% full.

Currently, 103,117 of the 1,022,809 people tested during the pandemic have been identified in Utah, with an overall positive rate of 10.1%. A total of 4,997 people have been hospitalized since the outbreak. The death reported on Saturday — a woman in Salt Lake County over the age of 85 who was not hospitalized when she died — brings state casualties to 568.