DOH reports 3 new coronavirus cases on Big Isle

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The state Department of Health on Tuesday reported three new COVID-19 cases on the Big Island, bringing Hawaii Island’s total case number to 1,233.

Three deaths also were reported Tuesday, including an Oahu man between 70-79 and two Big Island men, one between 60-69 and one over 80.

All had underlying health conditions and were hospitalized at the time of their death, according to the DOH.

Tuesday’s death brings the state’s official death toll to 215. The DOH’s numbers, however, don’t include some of the deaths reported locally from the COVID-19 outbreak at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo, which has reported 27 deaths.

Hawaii County Civil Defense reports that there have been 40 coronavirus-related deaths on the Big Island and as of Monday, and there were four COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Hilo Medical Center.

Life Care Center of Hilo reported Tuesday afternoon that there were no new resident or employee cases.

Since late September, 55 residents and 17 employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

As of Tuesday, there were 17 active resident cases at the facility and one resident was receiving care at Hilo Medical Center.

Two residents have been discharged and 25 recovered.

There have been 10 deaths so far reported at Life Care Center. The DOH reported 66 new COVID-19 cases statewide Tuesday, bringing the total cases in Hawaii to 14,773.

As a result of updated information, one case from Oahu and one from the island of Lanai in Maui County were removed from the count.

Maui County, which has seen a recent uptick due to a coronavirus outbreak on Lanai, has 507 cases, which includes 403 on Maui, 87 on Lanai and 17 on Molokai.

Oahu reports 12,913 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

There are two free drive-up tests for the public today: 9 a.m.-noon at the Keauhou Shopping Center in Kona, and 3-6 p.m. at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.

The tests are free for recipients and there are no co-pays, but those with health insurance are asked bring their insurance cards to the testing.