2 more virus deaths reported at second Hilo nursing home

Oct. 5--Hilo Medical Center said Sunday that the Big Island's coronavirus-related death toll is now 32, with two deaths reported at the Life Care Center, the second Hilo nursing home to see a cluster of cases.

Medical center officials said 27 of the island's COVID-19 deaths were residents of the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, while three fatalities are from the wider community.

The state's official statewide death toll of 156 counts includes just 15 Big Island deaths with Hawaii health officials saying the other reported cases are pending verification of cause of death.

A total of 12 COVID-positive patients were hospitalized on the Big Island, including two in the intensive care unit.

Outbreaks at nursing homes and care facilities are of particular concern as the elderly often are at higher risk of complications from COVID-19 that lead to hospitalization, even death.

Oahu, where most of the cases of COVID-19 have occurred, also has been a focus. However, Sunday's results included three new coronavirus-related deaths on Maui. No further details on the three deaths were immediately release, including when they occurred.

Lt. Gov. Josh Green reported 70 new infections statewide, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 12, 804 cases.

Sunday's new infection cases included 53 on Oahu, 15 on the Big Island, and two on Maui, officials said.

Sunday's total coronavirus cases by county since the start of the outbreak are 11, 505 on Oahu, 810 in Hawaii County, 396 in Maui County, and 59 in Kauai County. There are also 34 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.

As of Sunday, 2, 202 infections are considered active cases statewide, with a total of 10, 446 patients now classified by health officials as "released from isolation, " or nearly 82 % of those infected, according to the state's official count. The category counts those infected people who have met the criteria for being released from isolation. Officials reported 31 new releases today.

Green said there were 128 COVID-19 patients in Hawaii hospitals. Four new hospitalizations--two each on Oahu and the Big Island--were reported on Sunday.

Officials counted 1, 963 new tests in Sunday's tally, with Sunday's 70 positive results representing 3.6 % of the total tested.

Of the 305, 925 coronavirus tests conducted so far by state and clinical laboratories in Hawaii since the start of the outbreak, a total of 4.2 % have been positive.

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