Black band coral disease is affecting nearly half of the reef sites state officials have surveyed in waters off Kauai.

That’s according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The agency is holding a news conference Wednesday to discuss progress made to combat the disease. Scientists will also share information from a new report on the disease by the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology.

The U.S. Geological Survey is embarking on research to study the relationship between black band coral disease, groundwater and oceanographic factors. Coral experts identified the outbreak a few years ago and have been studying it since.