Big Island adds 24 cases–265 active–state adds 221

The state is reporting 221 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the total for Hawaii to 9,693. The number of active cases is 6,678.  The state is reporting 3 new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the number of deaths to 84.  However, the state is still showing only 3 deaths for Hawaii County, and the number as of yesterday was actually 5, as confirmed by Hilo Medical Center, all people who resided at the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home in Hilo.

In an email responding to an inquiry about why those cases have not been included, the Department of Health’s response:   “The hospital requires physicians to certify the death; sometimes that takes time to complete. Once that is done, the facility notifies DOH of the death by telephone. The process begins and DOH requests necessary documentation to verify the death as a legitimate COVID-19 death and then it coded and accepted as such in the DOH’s reporting database. Only then will the death be counted and announced to leadership to be included into the counts.”

Hawaii Island’s cumulative case count is now 493, an increase of 24 over yesterday.  The island has at least 265 active cases.  This number is the total number of cases minus those “released from isolation” minus the number of deaths; while State Health is still reporting 3, Hilo Medical Center has confirmed 5.

Kaua’i has no new cases reported today, leaving it at 57 cumulative.  One new case was reported in a Hawaii resident who is out of state.  Maui County added 5 new cases.  O’ahu added 190 new cases.

The State’s detailed report: