(BIVN) – From the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense on Friday morning:

On today’s update of COVID-19, the number of active cases, on Hawaii Island, monitored by the Department of Health is twenty-eight. There are five new cases of Coronavirus on Hawaii Island. These cases are now isolated and monitored by the Department of Health. At this date, for Hawaii Island, four are hospitalized.

For your information, a food drop is scheduled today in Puna at the Pahoa Community Center. Distribution begins at 10am. There are two Coronavirus testing locations today. First, in North Kona at the Keahou Shopping Center. Hours are from 9:00am ‘til noon. Second, in South Hilo at the University of Hawaii Gymnasium in Hilo. Hours are from 11:00 in the morning ‘til 3:00 in the afternoon.

Hawaii Island has seen daily increases of positive cases for the past two weeks. Most of these recent cases are not travel related which means the virus is being transmitted within the community. Data from the Department of Health shows all of these new cases have been identified as Hilo based. A review is underway to see what policy changes need to occur to address the growing spread of the virus. It is known that many have not been following the policies of gatherings, distancing and wearing of face coverings. We must all get better, this is a serious situation developing in Hilo and only you can help stop the spread of this virus.

Know that person to person close contact is the main method that the virus is spread and we need your help in following the guidelines of gatherings, distancing and face coverings.

For your information the Waipio Valley Road is closed through Monday except to residence and property owners.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Harry Kim, in response to increased coronavirus numbers on Hawaiʻi island, submitted his COVID-19 Emergency Rule Number 11 to Governor David Ige for his approval. The rule will limit social gathering group sizes to 10 persons indoors and 10 persons outdoors.