(BIVN) – There were 234 newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaiʻi on Thursday, up from the 85 new cases reported yesterday.

Hawaiʻi health officials say Wednesday’s tally was 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 said. Today’s case count was expected to include “cases from both July 27 and the July 26 cases that were not included” in Wednesday’s tally, officials said.

Two (2) new deaths were also reported today, state-wide.

Fifty-four (54) new cases were identified on Hawaiʻi island, with twelve (12) persons hospitalized. There were eighteen (18) new cases reported yesterday on the Big Island, with ten (10) persons hospitalized.

The Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense says there are 436 active cases of COVID-19 on Hawaiʻi island. The test positivity rate over the last two weeks on the Big Island has inched down to 6.9%, and remains 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 nine (9) locations on the Big Island showing over 10 cases. Three (3) of those zip code areas are showing over 50 cases:

• 96720 (Hilo) – 103 cases
• 96740 (Kona) – 115 cases
• 96743 (Kohala) – 58 cases
• 96738 (S. Kohala) – 11 cases
• 96720 (Hāmākua) – 14 cases
• 96755 (N. Kohala) – 13 cases
• 96719 (N. Kohala) – 11 cases
• 96749 (Puna) – 30 cases
• 96778 (Puna makai) – 19 cases

Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense says a free COVID-19 test clinic will be held Friday, July 30th, at the Keahou Shopping Center in Kona from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. “You are encouraged to get tested if you have recently been exposed to the Coronavirus,” officials said.

To date, the State of Hawaiʻi says 1,751,626 cumulative doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Health officials say 60% percent of the State population has been fully vaccinated. 66.7% have initiated vaccination.