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Hawaii’s coronavirus cases rise to 574, up 21; Big Island sees largest increase

BRUCE ASATO / APRIL 5
                                John Yoza prepares a swab to screen a driver for coronavirus testing at Kakaako Waterfront Park.

BRUCE ASATO / APRIL 5

John Yoza prepares a swab to screen a driver for coronavirus testing at Kakaako Waterfront Park.

Hawaii Department of Health officials said today that the state’s tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 574, up 21 from Friday, with most new cases on the Big Island.

Health officials said there are now a total of 29 confirmed cases associated with a cluster among the two McDonald’s restaurants in Kailua-Kona. The cases includes a total of 17 employees and 12 household members.

They said the department is conducting “contact tracing for new cases and continuing to monitor employees and family members, all of whom are in isolation or quarantine. Both restaurants (at Kona Commons and at Walmart in Kailua-Kona) remain closed.”

Of all the confirmed cases in Hawaii since the start of the outbreak, 51 have required hospitalizations, with three new cases reported today, health officials said.

The state’s coronavirus death toll stands at nine, unchanged from Friday. Six deaths were on Oahu and three were on Maui.

Today’s statewide total includes 382 cases on Oahu, 104 in Maui County, 61 on Hawaii island, and 21 in Kauai County, according to health officials.

The statewide total also includes six Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.

In all, state officials today reported 17 new cases on the Big Island, and two new cases each on Oahu and in Maui County.

A total 410 patients have recovered since the start of the outbreak, with health officials reporting 20 new recoveries today. More than 70% of the people who have been infected in Hawaii are now classified as recovered.

By county, Honolulu has seen 309 patients recover, Maui has had 52 recoveries, the Big Island has had 33, and Kauai has seen 16, as of noon today, the Health Department says.

Of the 51 hospitalizations in the state, 43 have been on Oahu, seven on Maui and one on Kauai.

The state’s Joint COVID-19 Information Center said that of today’s 21 new cases, 18 are Hawaii residents, two are nonresidents and the residency of one case is unknown.

The COVID-19 Information Center said that of the 23,215 coronavirus tests so far conducted by state and clinical laboratories in the islands, 2.46% have been positive.

On Friday, health officials said they are continuing to investigate half a dozen COVID-19 clusters throughout the islands. In addition to the Big Island McDonald’s cases, the investigations include three medical workers at Wahiawa General Hospital Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, three positive employees at Wahiawa Health, 42 cases at Maui Memorial Medical Center (27 staff and 15 patients) and a related case at Hale Makua Health Services on Maui, and at least seven infected crew members on the Pride of America cruise ship docked in Honolulu.

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