Highly Transmissible BA.5 Variant Driving COVID Spike in Utah and Across US; Intermountain Doctors to Provide Update Today on Current Spike in Cases

WHAT: 
Know someone who currently has COVID? You’re probably not alone. Cases of COVID in Utah and the United States are rising, fueled by the BA.5 Omicron variant, which appears to be one of the most transmissible strains of coronavirus yet. 

Currently, seven counties in Utah (Salt Lake, San Juan, Summit, Tooele, Wasatch, Wayne, and Piute) are considered to have high COVID-19 community transmission levels, according to standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Last week, 7,819 new cases of COVID were reported in Utah.

Doctors at Intermountain Healthcare are keeping a close eye on this surge and the potential impact on hospitals and healthcare resources as the school year approaches for many Utah children throughout the state in the next month. 

Infectious diseases experts from Intermountain will address the rise in cases and talk about ways Utahns can reduce risk of infection, recommendations for boosters, reinfection rates, and share what is known about this latest COVID variant in an Intermountain Healthcare COVID Community Update today at 1:15 pm, MT. 
 
WHEN:  
1:15 pm, MT, Thursday, July 21, 2022

WHO: 
Dr. Eddie Stenehjem
Intermountain Healthcare Infectious Diseases Physician 
 
WHERE: