Since July, Utah’s COVID testing has fallen off dramatically

Students attend a football game between Sky View and Bonneville high schools on Friday, August 21, 2020

LOGAN – About a month and half ago daily COVID-19 test results from the Utah Health Department indicated about 7,000 tests were administered daily.

The UDOH Monday report showed just 1,518 tests were conducted since Sunday; it is the lowest number of tests since the second week of April. There were 249 positive cases found in the last 24 hours.

Such numbers make it appear Utah will easily satisfy Gov. Herbert’s goal of pushing the rolling seven-day for positive tests below 400 a day by September 1. With eight days left that average is 350.

The BRHD reported just two new positive cases Monday, both in Cache County.

There have been 2,488 positive tests recorded in the Bear River district with 2,046 in Cache County and 431 in Box Elder County plus 11 in Rich County.

Also, among the  total 2,488 positive cases in the Bear River District, 2,163 are described as recovered.

There are still six COVID patients from the district hospitalized, all from Cache County.

There have been 49,364 positive tests in Utah since the outbreak in March. The rolling seven-day average for percent of positive laboratory tests is 8.9 percent. State Epidemiologist Angela Dunn said the virus will be considered under control when a three percent positivity rate is achieved.

Five more coronavirus deaths were reported since Sunday and there have now been 390 COVID-19 deaths in Utah.

Among the 49,364 positive tests for the disease in Utah since the start of the pandemic, 41,164 (83 percent) are considered recovered.

As of Monday 626,354 Utahns have been tested for the disease since the start of the outbreak.

The latest Idaho update shows 29,853 confirmed COVID-19 cases. There have been 307 COVID deaths in the state with 54 positive tests in Franklin County, 25 positives in Bear Lake County and 18 in Oneida County.

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5 Comments

  • The Fox August 24, 2020 at 9:51 pm Reply

    Wouldn’t you expect the amount testing to taper off? I mean, at some point aren’t all those who would volunteer for such an Arcane test already tested? I love how most of the news is surprised by this. If this thing doesn’t affect me worse than the flu I’m definitely not lining up for some nurse to shove a ridiculously long q-tip through my nose to the back of my throat. I don’t run to the doctor for every flu I get why, if it isn’t worse than the flu would I do it for any other virus? The numbers are improving greatly. This is great news. We should be happy, excited, demanding the draconian lockdowns be removed. Let’s get on with life.

  • Mr. Giggles August 25, 2020 at 12:01 pm Reply

    people act like getting a negative test is the end of it. It’s not.

    I’m pretty stressed about school starting, having seen kids crying in their driveways cause they don’t want to go, or don’t want to wear a mask.

    Seeing a mother try to comfort her kids in such a situation is pretty devastating. There’s no comfort anywhere, for anyone but the ignorant, and ignorance is being forced on all of us.

    Buckle up.

    • ozzie August 26, 2020 at 4:40 am Reply

      Are you kidding me with this? Nobody is forcing kids back to school or forcing you out of your house! Kids can sign up for online classes and you can stay in but it feels way to good to wag your finger at all the dasterdly people who dare to go outside. Good gief!

      • Mr. giggles August 26, 2020 at 2:16 pm Reply

        False on all accounts. Nothing about this situation ‘feels good.’ I can’t stay in cause I have to report to work, otherwise I end up homeless. Kids whose parents are affluent or who have the privilege of being able to work from home can sign up for online classes. Kids who have access to computers and the internet at home can sign up for internet classes. But guess what, chuckles? A lot of people are caught between being forced to expose themselves or their kids to a pandemic that can either be untraceable, and still kill people around you and/or physically maim someone for the rest of their lives and giving up their jobs.

        You must be insulated by at least a few levels of privilege to not see the bullsh*t in the narrative you’ve created and are spewing in these comment sections.

  • Mr. Giggles August 25, 2020 at 12:06 pm Reply

    Why would you expect testing to taper off right when we’re bringing massive groups together on campus and school grounds across the nation?

    Why should testing taper off? It’s not like one negative test means anything other than you’re clear for today. You can still pick up the virus very easily the minute you leave the doctor’s office.

    It is worse than the flu, you dolt, even if you personally only feel FLU-LIKE symptoms. You’ll have no idea that you were the person who infected and killed your neighbor. The virus will chill in your system damaging your body over time.This narrative that it will only produce flulike symptoms is incredibly naive and disrespectful to your fellow citizens. Tell that to the family members of the nearly 400 who have died in Utah alone, and the numerous people who are maimed for the rest of their lives, but who are considered recovered only because Utah stipulates that anyone still alive 2 weeks after the date of a positive test is corona free. That is just simply not the case.

    Get over yourself, ‘The Fox,’ and start thinking about how you can become a more responsible member of your community.

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