CoronaVirus (COVID-19) Updates
Latest: First case of community spread identified
Utah has its first case of community spread, when a Summit County resident tested positive. The man worked as a doorman at the Spur Bar & Grill and has not traveled or had known contact with anybody infected with COVID-19.
Beginning Monday, March 16, Utah's public schools will cancel all classes and close their buildings to most activities to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Gov. Gary Herbert announced the "soft closures" of school Friday afternoon. The dismissal of all K-12 students until March 30 follows recommendations made a day prior that any event with more than 100 people be postponed or canceled.
Many local governments have closed public buildings, including recreation centers, libraries, and senior centers. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has canceled all group activities worldwide, including sacrament meetings previous decisions and made significant changes to the April General Conference and missionary trainings.
The Utah System of Higher Education, meanwhile, is closing college and university campuses. Wherever possible, classes will be conducted online. Westminster College and Brigham Young University, both private schools, have also closed campuses and move classes online.
State officials are encouraging everyone to take serious precautions, especially staying at least six-feet away from other people and staying home if showing any symptoms.
Number of confirmed Utah residents with COVID-19
Confirmed cases by health district
| District | Cases |
|---|---|
| Bear River | 0 |
| Central Utah | 0 |
| Davis County | 1 |
| Salt Lake County | 5 |
| San Juan | 0 |
| Southeast Utah | 0 |
| Southwest Utah | 0 |
| Summit County | 2 |
| Tooele | 0 |
| Tri County | 0 |
| Utah County | 0 |
| Wasatch County | 0 |
| Weber-Morgan | 1 |
| Non-Utah resident** | 5 |
Latest Information: U.S.
President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are more than 2,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., and those numbers are expected to rise as testing becomes more widespread.
Friday night, the U.S. House passed a relief bill agreed to by the White House that provides free testing for COVID-19, enhanced unemployment benefits, and additional funds for Medicaid, among other items. Senators will vote on the bill next week.
Apple will close its U.S. stores until March 27, while also reopening many of their stores in Hong Kong and mainland China — where the spread of the disease has slowed significantly.
For ongoing updates on the COVID-19 pandemic in the the U.S., visit the CDC updates page.
Latest Information: World
The World Health Organization has officially designated the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic.
The CDC has suspended travel from China, Iran, and most of Europe by foreign nationals, and recommends avoiding all non-essential travel to these countries. The agency also recommends avoiding non-essential travel to South Korea. Older adults or those with underlying health conditions should avoid travel globally.
Along with the Italian quarantine, Spain has declared a state of emergency and considering dramatic measures officials reported more than 1,500 new cases. Many other European countries have banned all mass gatherings and restricted travel to slow the virus spread.
In Iran, more than 600 deaths have been caused by COVID-19. Indonesia has closed schools in the capital of Jakarta for two weeks after confirmed cases jumped Saturday. New Zealand is requiring anybody entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days.