(BIVN) – The State of Hawaiʻi reported 221 new cases of COVID-19 statewide on Saturday at noon. Three (3) new deaths were also reported, bringing the toll to 84.

On Hawaiʻi island, 24 new cases of COVID-19 were reported. Of the cumulative 493 cases counted on the Big Island, 223 have been released from isolation. The State continues to report three people with COVID-19 have died, although Hawaiʻi County and the Hilo Medical Center report six have died with coronavirus. The state numbers indicate that there are 267 active cases of COVID-19 on Hawaiʻi island.

UPDATE – (6:41 p.m.) – According to a Saturday update from Hilo Medical Center, a total of 54 residents and 18 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. HMC also provided this correction on the number of deaths:

There are no deaths to report today. However, there is a correction of 5 total deaths related to COVID-19 with significant, underlying health issues. According to details from Avalon Healthcare, the managing company running the veterans home operations, one resident who passed had a pending PCR test, tested positive with the rapid/antigen test at the Emergency Department. PCR results that came back that last night was negative, according to Avalon.

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement on the COVID-19 outbreak at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo:

“The outbreak we are seeing at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home is heartbreaking. My staff and I are working with state and local officials to make sure they utilize all the federal help that’s available. The Department of Veterans Affairs is capable of doing even more, but we cannot be shy about asking them for help. We also need to focus on infection control best practices to contain this outbreak. The state should ask VA to share infection control specialists, provide additional testing, and continue to share PPE to get this under control. Residents of senior homes are some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19. That’s why it is also absolutely critical that the facility follows infection control guidelines and that the state dramatically expands testing at these facilities to continue to protect these vulnerable residents and their care workers.”