Thirty-five COVID-related deaths have now been reported in East Hawaii since the start of the pandemic.
Six deaths, unrelated to outbreaks at two long-term care facilities in Hilo, have occurred at Hilo Medical Center, the hospital reported in an update Thursday afternoon.
Four of those deaths happened this week on Oct. 4, 6, 7 and 8.
An outbreak at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home has claimed the lives of 27 residents, and two patients at Life Care Center of Hilo died last weekend. No additional deaths were reported at those facilities as of Thursday afternoon.
No new COVID-19 cases were discovered at the Hilo veterans home. Seventy-one residents and 35 employees had tested positive during an outbreak that began there in late August.
According to HMC, no residents are currently receiving care for COVID-19 at Yukio Okutsu, but two are hospitalized at Hilo Medical Center.
Surveillance testing for residents and employees is ongoing. All 35 employees and 42 residents have so far recovered.
One new COVID-19 case also was reported Thursday in a Life Care Center employee, according to an update on the facility’s website.
As of Wednesday evening, 10 employees and 32 residents had tested positive for the virus at Life Care Center since early September.
Twenty-five residents are being treated at the facility, four are hospitalized at HMC and one resident is receiving treatment at another facility.
Four employees have fully recovered.
Residents and employees are being tested twice a week.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
