SALT LAKE CITY-Thursday morning, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and select members of the Utah Coronavirus Task Force conducted their weekly briefing at the Utah State Capitol.
Herbert commenced his comments by saying there is cause for significant concern for the Navajo Nation in regard to COVID-19 as data confirms it is the “hardest-hit community in the nation.”
Herbert then instructed San Juan County residents who do not live on Navajo Nation land to follow the directives of the Navajo Nation Department of Health as opposed to San Juan Public Health of Blanding.
Herbert said Utah has been working diligently to provide assistance to the Navajo Nation via mobile testing, medical personnel and much-needed supplies.
Dustin Jansen, the executive director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs then spoke, saying that all of the Beehive State’s various Indian tribes have been adversely affected by COVID-19. Jansen lauded the efforts of Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez for his contributions.
Jansen confirmed that Utah has supported testing on the reservations and on Utah’s portion of the Navajo Nation (which also entails northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico), there are 251 positive cases and four deaths from COVID-19.
Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox then spoke, citing the donations made by Utahns to assist Farmers Feeding Utah.
He stated that northern Utah will be served by these contributions, especially in Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties as many in these counties are farmers.
He confirmed that donations are down state-wide because of COVID-19 and exhorted anyone who could to find a way to donate.
Utah State epidemiologist Dr. Angela C. Dunn then spoke, citing the COVID-19 statistics in the past 24 hours in Utah.
Thursday, there are now 8,921 cases of COVID-19 in the Beehive State. Of these, 5,623 are recovered, or 63.03 percent.
There have been 203,507 total tests for COVID-19 administered in Utah. This is an increase of 2,881 total tests in the past 24 hours.
Despite the net positive test case total increasing by 215 from the previous day and representing a net increase of 129 in the past 24 hours, the positive test percentage statewide only increased to 4.38 percent.
The 24-hour positive test percentage did increase significantly in the past 24 hours to 7.46 percent as opposed to 4.22 percent on Wednesday.
There are 734 hospitalizations in the Beehive State from COVID-19, an increase of 18 from the previous day’s totals.
However, only 97, or 13.4 percent are currently hospitalized.
There are now 106 deaths from COVID-19 in Utah, an increase of one from the previous day.
Since moving to yellow, Wasatch County had its lowest positive case rate increase as there is only one more new case from Thursday’s totals. Presently, Wasatch County has 259 cases of COVID-19, 11 hospitalizations and one death.
Dunn lauded Utah’s paltry growth rate of 1.8 percent of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and is also impressed with the low amount of hospitalizations in the Beehive State.
Next, Gary Harder of Utah Veteran and Military Affairs spoke, stating that 17 employees of Utah veterans affairs hospitals statewide (primarily in Salt Lake City) tested positive for COVID-19.
He confirmed he did not know how this occurred, but 22 veterans have been moved from the nursing care center to the VA hospital.
In addressing the media for questions, Herbert, when asked about enforcing health orders for Utahns who don’t comply to COVID-19 restrictions, said “enforcing health orders is tough. Some decisions are up to local health departments.”
When asked if the state has “teeth” in its enforcement of restrictions, Herbert cited Farmington-based Lagoon Amusement Park, saying management went through the proper channels to open last weekend.
