Shelby Close, a certified medical assistant with University of Utah Health, administers a COVID-19 test at a testing facility in Park City on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. The testing facility is part of the David Eccles School of Business and University of Utah Health’s new Utah Health & Economic Recovery Outreach program. The program will test 10,000 Utahns across four counties. Citizens will receive two tests: PCR (swab test to detect presence of coronavirus) and serology (blood draw to detect antibodies). Antibodies to the coronavirus indicate probable past infection. The data gathered will inform decision-makers in the state as they work to help keep residents safe and get people back to work. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News

By Wendy Leonard

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health on Thursday reported one of the largest daily increases of confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.

An additional 316 cases pushes the state’s total to 10,813 cases, with more than half of them believed to have recovered by now. The state saw a 3% increase in cases from Wednesday.

Twenty-three new patients have been hospitalized with the highly contagious illness, a 24% increase since Monday. Since mid-March, when the first cases of the novel coronavirus were reported, there have been 850 people hospitalized in Utah, the health department reports.

There are currently 118 people hospitalized in Utah for treatment of COVID-19.

The state has tested more than 227,507 people and is reporting a 4.8% positivity rate resulting from those tests.

No new deaths resulting from COVID-19 were reported on Thursday.

The Salt Lake City Council voted to extend the city’s emergency declaration due to the global outbreak of COVID-19. It was first instituted on March 10 and was set to expire this weekend, but will now become effective through July 10.

The declaration allows the city to continue to request and receive federal, state and local funds and resources to deal with the issues caused by the pandemic illness. It also allows the mayor to limit mass gatherings, keep certain businesses closed and limit nonessential travel within the city.

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Salt Lake City is one of just a few Utah communities — including Mexican Hat and Bluff in San Juan County — that are still under “orange” or moderate risk levels outlined in the state’s plan for economic recovery, Utah Leads Together. Everywhere else in the state has been deemed “yellow,” or low-risk for the novel coronavirus.

It is still recommended, however, that high-risk individuals — people over the age of 65 and/or who have underlying health conditions — stay at home as much as possible to avoid contracting COVID-19.

A statewide public health order that sets risk levels throughout the state, as well as expectations pursuant to those, was issued by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert months ago and is set to expire on Friday.

The state epidemiologist, Dr. Angela Dunn, said a “sharp spike” in cases this week would preclude any area in the state from further lessening of restrictions. She encouraged Utahns to continue social distancing and wearing a mask in public to help prevent further spread of COVID-19 in Utah.

“Public health is very concerned about this rise in cases,” Dunn said on Wednesday. She said the entire state is experiencing signs of increased spread of disease, but, particularly the southwest region.

“It is significant and a statewide trend,” Dunn said.

The state health department reported on its website a growing number of cases for which the origin is unknown or still under investigation. Still, the majority of cases, more than 60% in Utah, are contracted from a known contact or household member.

The latest breakdown of Utah cases, hospitalizations and deaths by health district:

  • Salt Lake County, 5,756; 497 hospitalized; 78 deaths.
  • Utah County, 2,088; 110 hospitalized; 17 deaths.
  • Southwest Utah, 524; 46 hospitalized; 4 deaths.
  • Davis County, 513; 48 hospitalized; 2 deaths.
  • Summit County, 419; 38 hospitalized; 0 deaths.
  • Bear River, 333; 19 hospitalized; 2 deaths.
  • Weber-Morgan, 330; 35 hospitalized; 7 deaths.
  • Wasatch County, 313; 14 hospitalized; 2 deaths.
  • San Juan County, 312; 30 hospitalized; 5 deaths.
  • Tooele County, 140; 9 hospitalized; 0 deaths.
  • Central Utah, 39; 3 hospitalized; 0 deaths.
  • Southeast Utah, 26; 0 hospitalized; 0 deaths.
  • TriCounty (Uinta Basin), 20; 1 hospitalized; 0 deaths.