The State Department of Health has confirmed 78 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the state’s total to 15,231 with approximately 3,144 active cases.

Over the last 7 days, the state says the positivity rate (the number of positive cases compared with the total number of people tested) for the state has been 1.8%, and for Hawaii County, 1.6%.   The state’s detailed maps count the last 14 days, not the last 7 days.  On those maps, on Hawaii Island, there are places with a greater than 5% positivity rate:  96783 (Pepeekeo) at 12.4%, 96737 (Ocean View) at 8.3%, 96738 (Waikoloa/Puako) at 7.3%, and 96777 (Pahala) at 7.2%.   Kailua-Kona (96740) has had a positivity rate of 4.9% for the past 14 days, and Hilo has had a positivity rate of .9%.  It is likely that there have been more people who live in those latter two zip codes getting tested.

The state is reporting 219 deaths.  A total of 1,111 people have required hospitalization.

O’ahu has 65 new cases, Hawaii residents out of state have 5 new cases, Maui has 2 new cases, and Kaua’i  and Lanai each have 1 new case.  There are no new cases reported today on Moloka’i.

The Big Island has only 4 new cases of COVID-19.  (But be aware that testing numbers tend to be lower on Mondays, after a weekend.)  The island’s total is 1,304, with approximately 336 active cases.  Hawaii County Civil Defense says 10 are hospitalized on our island:  Hilo Medical Center has 3 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the COVID-19 unit (none in the ICU) and Kona Community Hospital has 7 cases of COVID-19.  One person in KCH is in the ICU on a ventilator, one person is a pregnant mom in the OB ward, and 5 people are in the Med/Surg Unit but separated from other patients.   A total of 65 people on the island have required hospitalization because of COVID-19.

Hawaii County is sponsoring free testing for those on the island.    Recently the County sponsored spot testing at residential housing units in Waikoloa and North Kona, plus there is testing tomorrow at Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home.   Hawaii Island residents are taking advantage of the testing…this morning at 9:45 a.m.  the line to get tested at Keauhou Shopping Center went up Kamehameha III around .2 of a mile.

The State is reporting the island has 31 deaths from COVID, but it’s known there is a lag between the island’s hospitals or care facilities reporting deaths and the State DOH confirming.   The deaths reported by facilities on the island number 48, as follows:

• Kona Community Hospital — 4
• Hilo Medical Center –7
• Life Care Center of Hilo –10
• Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home–27

The State Department of Health’s noon report: