Hawaii Health Department reports 5 more coronavirus-related deaths, 8,924 new infections

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Angelica Bagaoisan, medical assistant with Project Vision Hawaii, secured a COVID-19 antigen test sample, Jan. 20, during a vaccination and testing clinic. The Hawaii Department of Health today reported 8,924 new COVID-19 infections over the previous week, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 274,495 cases.

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The Hawaii Department of Health today reported 8,924 new COVID-19 infections over the previous week, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 274,495 cases.

DOH also reported five more deaths, bringing the state’s COVID death toll to 1,451.

The state’s 7-day average of new cases today was reported at 1,098 compared with 925 on May 18, representing the ninth consecutive weekly increase.

The state’s average positivity rate, meanwhile, jumped to 18.3% from 16.9% last week. It is the 10th week in a row that DOH has recorded an increase in the positivity rate. In Honolulu County, the average positivity rate is now at 20.1%, up from 18.5% last week.

On Kauai County, the average positivity rate increased to 24.3% from 23.0% last week.

By island, there were 6,475 new infections reported on Oahu, 1,102 on Hawaii island, 772 on Maui, 443 on Kauai, 18 on Molokai and 11 on Lanai. Another 103 infections were reported out of state.

DOH Director Dr. Libby Char has said the average daily case counts are likely five to six times higher than reported, given that results from home test kits are not officially tallied.

The U.S. Health and Human Services hospital utilization dashboard lists 155 patients with COVID-19 at 25 hospitals in Hawaii today.

The number of patients with COVID in Hawaii hospitals surpassed 150 on Monday, with 151, according to the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

Today, the Healthcare Association counted 151 patients with COVID in hospitals as well. Last Wednesday, the state dashboard listed 126 patients with COVID in Hawaii hospitals.