(BIVN) – There were 154 newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaiʻi on Wednesday, up from the 63 cases reported on Tuesday. Of that number, 8 new cases were identified on Hawaiʻi island, up from the 6 cases reported the day before.

Health officials are currently monitoring 310 active cases on Hawaiʻi island. There has been a 14-day average of 15 new cases per day on the Big Island, and the average test positivity rate for the same time period is at 2.5%.

On the Health Department’s zip code area map showing reported COVID-19 cases with onset dates in the past 14 days, there are seven (7) zip code areas on the Big Island showing over 10 cases, with only one of those areas (Hilo) showing over 50 cases. Zip code areas not listed below have recorded less than 10 cases in 14 days.

• 96720 (Hilo) – 71 cases
• 96743 (Kohala/Waimea) – 16 cases
• 96738 (Waikoloa) – 18 cases
• 96740 (Kona) – 48 cases
• 96749 (Puna/Keaʻau) – 33 cases
• 96771 (Puna mauka) – 15 cases
• 96778 (Puna makai) – 49 cases

The County of Hawaiʻi says community testing is scheduled for today (Wednesday, March 9) in North Kona at Old Kona Airport Pavilion from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The State of Hawaiʻi says 2,816,807 total COVID-19 vaccines have been administered. Health officials say 76.6% percent of the State population has been fully vaccinated. 83.9% of the population has initiated vaccination, and 37.8% has gotten a third dose. On Hawaiʻi island, 68% has completed vaccination.

State Moves to Weekly COVID Data Reporting

From the Hawaiʻi Department of Health on Wednesday:

The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is transitioning from daily to weekly COVID-19 data reporting effective immediately. Case counts and vaccination updates will be published on the DOH COVID-19 dashboard every Wednesday beginning March 16.

“Our decisions have always been based on trends, not single day counts. There is greater focus now on weekly hospital admissions, weekly hospital occupancy, and weekly case counts when calculating the current community levels of COVID-19. Our processes are evolving as the pandemic evolves,” said State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char, FACEP.

“More and more people are taking COVID-19 tests at home. Those tests are not counted in our data. This means our case counts are not as accurate a reflection of COVID-19 in the community as they once were. We are still monitoring case counts, but hospital metrics now play a larger role in our decisions,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble.

“Vaccination progress is still an important metric. Weekly intervals are better than day to day incremental changes when determining where progress is being made or where additional progress is needed,“ Kemble said.

“We owe our data team a great deal of gratitude for working at an exhausting pace for almost two years. The shift to weekly reporting allows for a more effective and sustainable response,” Char said.

According to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine only nine states report daily COVID-19 case counts.