(BIVN) – There were 234 newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaiʻi on Friday, down from the 314 cases reported on Thursday. Of that number, 30 new cases were identified on Hawaiʻi island, up from the 24 cases reported the day before.

Health officials are currently monitoring 428 active cases on Hawaiʻi island. There has been a 14-day average of 26 new cases per day on the Big Island, and the average test positivity rate for the same time period is at 2.8%.

On the Health Department’s zip code area map showing reported COVID-19 cases with onset dates in the past 14 days, there are eight (8) zip code areas on the Big Island showing over 10 cases, with three (3) of those areas showing over 50 cases. Zip code areas not listed below have recorded less than 10 cases in 14 days.

• 96720 (Hilo) – 116 cases
• 96743 (Kohala/Waimea) – 22 cases
• 96738 (Waikoloa) – 17 cases
• 96740 (Kona) – 46 cases
• 96772 (Naʻalehu) – 12 cases
• 96749 (Puna/Keaʻau) – 62 cases
• 96771 (Puna mauka) – 21 cases
• 96778 (Puna makai) – 65 cases

The County of Hawaiʻi says community testing is scheduled for today (Friday) in Puna at Pāhoa Community Center from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and in North Kona at Old Kona Airport Pavilion form 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The State of Hawaiʻi says 2,811,411 total COVID-19 vaccines have been administered. Health officials say 76.6% percent of the State population has been fully vaccinated. 83.8% of the population has initiated vaccination, and 37.6% has gotten a third dose. On Hawaiʻi island, 68% has completed vaccination.

HIEMA To Discontinue Weekend, Holiday COVID-19 Data Reports

From the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency on Friday:

The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) will no longer update the online COVID-19 Information Hub on Saturdays, Sundays or State/Federal holidays.

The data on COVID-19 are provided to HI-EMA by the Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) and include the following measures:

1.) Testing and positivity rate
2.) New, cumulative confirmed, seven-day daily average, and 14-day reported cases
3.) Total fatalities and fatality rate.

HI-EMA compiles the DOH data with hospitalization data from other sources to build the dashboard known as the COVID-19 Information Hub.

As the omicron variant surge of COVID-19 has subsided and vaccinations have reduced the average severity of infections, daily case data has become less crucial to managing pandemic response. More weight is being given to data on hospitalization and similar measures reflecting COVID-19’s effect on the healthcare system and its capacity. These data tend to shift less rapidly and reflect longer-term trends, allowing a safe transition to weekday-only reporting.

The testing, case and fatality data remains available on the DOH “Hawai‘i COVID-19 Data” page. If conditions change, HI-EMA will work with its partners in the COVID-19 response to restore a level of data-reporting needed to manage the hazard.