Coronavirus takes life of 5th person as it spreads in Utah
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert shares updates during a COVID-19 pandemic press conference at the Utah State Capitol Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert walks off after his COVID-19 pandemic press conference at the Utah State Capitol Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A woman who was in hospice care in a long-term facility became the fifth person to die in Utah after contracting the coronavirus, health officials said Tuesday.
The woman died in the Weber-Morgan County area and no one else has tested positive in connection with her, state epidemiologist Angela Dunn said. The age of the woman was not disclosed, though authorities said she was younger than 60.
Meanwhile, a case of the virus reported in central Utah means there's at least one in every health district statewide, Dunn said Nearly 900 people in Utah have the virus.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
In other developments:
— Like much of the country, Utah has a shortage of protective masks. There are 27,000 in the state, compared to the more than 2 million needed, Gov. Gary Herbert said. So the state is looking for alternatives, including whether it's possible to cleanse and recycle masks used by healthcare workers, Herbert said.
— Child-care services at Hill Air Force Base re-opened Tuesday after a child and a staff member who reported symptoms of the disease tested negative. Two other people have tested positive at the base, which employs 25,000 people in Layton. Some restrictions are in place, the Standard-Examiner reported.