(BIVN) – As of Sunday afternoon, there have been more cases of COVID-19 identified on Hawaiʻi island (340) compared to Maui County (334), while  the State of Hawaiʻi recorded another 200 newly reported cases.

The majority of the new cases continues to be on Oʻahu.

There was one new death today, according to the State tally. The Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense reported one new death on the Big Island, but the State did not indicate that there was a death on Hawaiʻi island in its noon update. Therefore, it was initially unclear if the State-reported death and the County-reported death are one and the same.

On Hawaiʻi island, 174 of the 340 cases have been released from isolation, indicating that 166 are active cases. It is not clear if or how the one death reported by Hawaiʻi County figures into the active case calculation.

UPDATE – (2:25 p.m.) – On Sunday, the Hilo Medical Center reported 18 patients hospitalized with COVID-19: three (3) in the ICU and fifteen (15) in the COVID Unit. Also, 27 residents and 10 employees at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home have tested positive for COVID-19. Six (6) are hospitalized at Hilo Medical Center, and 19 are cared for at the veterans home’s COVID designated area. There has also been two (2) deaths that were “related to COVID-19 with significant, underlying health issues,” the Hilo Medical Center reported. “We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones of these veterans who served our country.”

From the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home Facility Administration on August 29:

All residents and staff were tested for COVID-19 on August 23-24. All residents and staff were re-tested August 26-27. We have received many of those results, but some remain pending. We will continue to update you. A third round of all resident and staff testing will take place early next week.

The positive staff members are self-isolating at home and will not return to work until medically cleared to do so. All staff members are screened before entering the facility pursuant to CDC guidelines and are sent home if they report any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness. Any residents experiencing signs or symptoms are isolated and tested. All staff are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) pursuant to CDC guidelines.

We are working diligently to limit the spread of the virus to other residents of the facility and are communicating this news to our residents, staff, and their loved ones.

We are strictly limiting access to the building and carefully screening all people entering our facility in accordance with CDC and CMS guidelines. At this time, only essential visitors and vendors are being allowed access to the building as determined on a case-by-case basis. We are also following the CDC and CMS guidance that applies once a nursing facility has a confirmed COVID-19 positive case, as well as working closely with our physician partners and the State Health Department.

Our top priority remains the safety of staff, residents, and visitors. This includes making sure all of our employees and staff throughout the facility understand how to protect themselves and the residents in their care.

We are dedicated to providing quality care for our residents. We will continue to fight to keep our residents and staff safe.

Please reach out directly to the Facility Administrator with any questions or concerns that you have.