Gov. Gary Herbert addresses reporters. (PHOTO: KSL TV via Facebook)
CACHE COUNTY, Utah — A county in northern Utah is hoping to advance to the “green” stage of the state’s COVID-19 recovery plan, despite a spike in new cases. With only one dissenting vote, the Cache County Council voted this week to immediately request dropping to a normal threat level for the virus.
The county is sending a letter through Bear River Health to Major General Jefferson Burton, the acting director of the State Board of Health. Their hope is that it will make its way to the Governor’s desk and he’ll reconsider their situation.
Speaking Thursday afternoon, Governor Herbert indicated the state will continue to follow the low-risk “yellow” safety guidelines for the time being. He also directly addressed the latest developments in Cache County.
”The Cache County Council certainly has the right and the responsibility to analyze the data and make their request for whatever they think is best for Cache County,” Herbert explains. “The process is, it starts with them, but they may have to work with the Bear River Health Department to see if they agree with their request. If they can’t get that first level there’s no sense submitting it to the state.”
Cache County also saw their number of confirmed coronavirus cases rise yesterday. Another 52 have been confirmed in the county, bringing their total case count to 913. That number includes the more than 200 cases from JBS Beef Plant at the end of May.
“In recent days, the Bear River Health District has seen an increase in the number of new COVID-19 diagnoses in our community,” Bear River Health Department Director Lloyd Berentzen said Thursday. “Although this is a concern, we have been fortunate to keep our hospitalization rates low and assure that there is adequate space in our hospitals to care for those that are most severely impacted by this illness.”