(BIVN) – There were 85 newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaiʻi on Wednesday, which appears to be down from the 162 new cases reported on Tuesday. However, officials say today’s case count is only a “partial count”, due to an electronic lab reporting system interruption. “The issue has been addressed and lab reports should be caught up over the next 24 hours,” the Hawaiʻi Department of Health says. “The July 29 case count will include cases from both July 27 and the July 26 cases that were not included in today’s tally.”

Three (3) new deaths were also reported, state-wide.

Eighteen (18) new cases were identified on Hawaiʻi island, with ten (10) persons hospitalized. There were twenty-seven (27) new cases reported yesterday on the Big Island, with nine (9) persons hospitalized.

The Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense says there are 400 active cases of COVID-19 on Hawaiʻi island. The test positivity rate over the last two weeks on the Big Island has climbed to 7.4%, the highest test positivity rate in the State of Hawaiʻi. Hawaiʻi island has seen a 14-day average of forty (40) new cases per day.

On the Health Department’s zip code area map showing reported COVID-19 cases with onset dates in the past 14 days, there are now six (6) locations on the Big Island showing over 10 cases. Three (3) of those zip code areas are showing over 50 cases:

• 96720 (Hilo) – 96 cases
• 96740 (Kona) – 106 cases
• 96743 (Kohala) – 54 cases
• 96720 (Hāmākua) – 11 cases
• 96749 (Puna) – 27 cases
• 96778 (Puna makai) – 19 cases

COVID testing and vaccination is available today at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. this afternoon. Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense says pre-registration for testing s available at COVIDFREEHAWAII.com.

To date, the State of Hawaiʻi says 1,748,972 cumulative doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Health officials say 59.9% percent of the State population has been fully vaccinated. 66.6% have initiated vaccination.