Monday morning, April 6, 2020
State
COVID-19 Update
The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah jumped to 1605, up 531 from Friday. Those numbers were released by the state health department on Sunday. Forty percent of the cases are among those ages 25 to 44. Thirty percent are between 45 and 64 years old.
124 are or have been hospitalized. And nearly 31,000 coronavirus tests have been administered. Just under half the cases are in Salt Lake County. Nearly 20% are in Summit and Utah counties. — Diane Maggipinto
Pres. Trump Approves Utah’s Major Disaster Declaration
The Trump administration has approved a major disaster declaration for Utah, making federal emergency aid available to supplement recovery efforts in areas of the state affected by COVID-19. The move comes after Gov. Gary Herbert announced the state had moved to its highest-level of emergency on March 31. Under federal law, 75% of the cost of emergency measures taken at the direction of public health officials may be reimbursed by FEMA’s Public Assistance program. State, territorial, tribal and local government and nonprofits may apply for the program. — Kate Groetzinger
Follow KUER’s coverage of the coronavirus in Utah.
General Conference Broadcasts To Membership
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held its biannual general conference this weekend in downtown Salt Lake City. It was the first without an in-person audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak wasn’t addressed head on by many speakers. But Church apostle Jeffery R. Holland did turn his focus to the pandemic, saying that after the world conquers the pandemic, the Church will remain committed to issues of hunger and poverty. The Church also revealed a new official logo that features an image of Jesus Christ. And the conference concluded with the announcement of eight new temples including the first in Dubai and mainland China. Read the full story. — Lee Hale
Northern Utah
Nursing Home Virus Transmission
State health officials reported the first incident of COVID-19 transmission in a Utah nursing facility on Saturday. The 34-bed facility is in Salt Lake City. Six residents have tested positive for COVID-19. The first patient to test positive has been hospitalized since March 27, and one, a woman above 85, has died. Two staff members also tested positive. This comes one day after officials confirmed the first case in the Department of Corrections. Read the full story. — Kate Groetzinger & Jon Reed
Emergency Childcare For Essential Employees
Two new facilities in Salt Lake City will soon offer free child care for essential employees during the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s a part of the recently created One Utah child care program. For parents who need childcare but aren’t essential workers, Gruber says the state has options for them too based on income. — Jessica Lowell
Southern Utah
Reporting COVID Deaths From The Navajo Nation
A mother and son from Navajo Mountain, Utah, have died after testing positive for COVID-19. But the deaths have not been reported by health officials in Utah, which raises questions about test reporting and public health efforts on the Navajo Nation. Read the full story. — Kate Groetzinger, Bluff
Region
New, Feathered Dinosaur Discovered
Researchers have found a new type of dinosaur in our region that was probably a stronger, faster version of a velociraptor. And yes, it had feathers. Paleontologists at the Pennsylvania State Museum made the discovery, and are calling it the Dineobellator. They found its bones near the four corners region of New Mexico and they say it helps show that dinosaurs were doing well before a mass extinction event several million years ago. — Madelyn Beck, Mountain West News Bureau