Big Island COVID-19 case count increases by 15

Fifteen new COVID-19 cases were reported on the Big Island Wednesday, bringing the total case count to 2,604.

Statewide, 72 new cases were reported Wednesday by the Department of Health. Oahu reported 36 of those cases, Maui County 17 and Kauai reported no new cases. Four residents were diagnosed while outside the state.

Statewide, 30,980 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the end of last February. The Big Island had a 1.4% test positivity rate, under the statewide rate of 1.6%.

Over the past two weeks, the Big Island has reported 124 cases, or an average of 8.9 cases per day. In the past 14 days, 31 cases have been reported in Hilo and 57 in Kailua-Kona.

Statewide, 41 people were hospitalized Wednesday, with five hospitalized on the Big Island. To date, 2,393 people have required hospitalization, including 125 on the Big Island.

Two new coronavirus-related death was reported on Maui by the state Wednesday. Of the 471 coronavirus-related deaths confirmed and reported by the state to date, 370 were on Oahu, 46 were on Maui, 53 were on the Big Island and one on Kauai. Three deaths were among residents outside the state.

According to the Department of Health, the state has administered 109,714 does of the COVID-19 vaccine on the Big Island. That figure doesn’t include vaccines administered by federal agencies or pharmacies. 42,957 people of the island’s estimated population of 201,503 are fully vaccinated.