(BIVN) – There were 938 newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaiʻi on Saturday, down from the 1,035 cases identified on Friday. There were 116 new cases identified today on Hawaiʻi island, down from the 184 cases reported the day before.

Five (5) deaths with COVID-19 were reported statewide.

Health officials are currently monitoring 1,756 active cases on Hawaiʻi island. The test positivity rate on the Big Island over the last 14 days is up to 9.0%, and there has been a 14-day average of 132 new cases per day.

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency reports there are 78 persons hospitalized on Hawaiʻi island. From Kona Community Hospital on Friday:

For the second consecutive day, we have recorded a record number of COVID patients at KCH. We are currently caring for 21 COVID patients, up from 18 yesterday. 6 patients are in the ICU, and 15 in our COVID unit; four of these patients are on ventilators.

In addition, our emergency department has seen a steady increase of patients with COVID-like symptoms seeking care. From August 1 through August 26, we conducted 657 inpatient and outpatient COVID tests. Of those, 132 (or 20%) were positive.

Kohala Hospital’s emergency department has also experienced an increased number of patients with COVID-like symptoms. To date, the hospital has not admitted any COVID positive patients. Hospital administrators recently reinstated a hospital-wide lockdown, which restricts all visitors. Additionally, all staff are now donning N-95 masks daily in place of the usual hospital masks, and a proactive mass testing was conducted this week.

We are asking our community to take the necessary steps to help stop the spread of COVID across our county. The delta variant is extremely transmissible. We are seeing its impact on all age groups. Everyone from keiki to kupuna are at risk. The best precautions still include: vaccination, masking up, social distancing and frequent hand washing.

Hilo Medical Center also reported a new high of 44 total COVID patients at the hospital on Saturday, “with 7 in the ICU, 33 in the COVID Unit, 2 in OB, and 2 in ER waiting for admission.”

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 sixteen (16) zip code areas on the Big Island showing over 10 cases. Eight (8) of those zip code areas are showing over 50 cases, with two areas (Kona and Hilo) identifying over 400 new cases in 14 days.

• 96720 (Hilo) – 516 cases
• 96740 (Kona) – 405 cases
• 96743 (Kohala) – 99 cases
• 96738 (S. Kohala) – 69 cases
• 96755 (N. Kohala) – 29 cases
• 96727 (Hāmākua) – 49 cases
• 96773* (N. Hilo) – 17 cases
• 96783 (Pepeʻekeo) – 25 cases
• 96749 (Puna) – 149 cases
• 96760 (Puna) – 28 cases
• 96771 (Puna mauka) – 55 cases
• 96778 (Puna makai) – 77 cases
• 96725 (Kona) – 48 cases
• 96750 (Kona) – 50 cases
• 96704* (South Kona) – 68 cases
• 96737 (Ocean View) – 11 cases

* The 96773 zip code area includes zip code areas 96710, 96774, 96728, 96764, and 96780. The 96704 zip code area includes zip code areas 96726.

To date, the State of Hawaiʻi says 1,848,431 cumulative doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Health officials say 62.6% percent of the State population has been fully vaccinated. 70.9% of the population has initiated vaccination. On Hawaiʻi island, 59% has completed vaccination.