DOH investigates three Big Island COVID clusters

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KELSEY WALLING/Tribune-Herald An employee with S&G Labs grabs a vile for a COVID-19 test March 31 at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.
KELSEY WALLING/Tribune-Herald People in two cars are tested for COVID-19 on March 31 at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.
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Three COVID-19 clusters have been investigated on the Big Island in the past 14 days, according to a weekly cluster report issued Thursday by the state Department of Health.

One cluster under investigation in an educational setting resulted in 32 cases, one social gathering resulted in 12 cases and one cluster associated with a place of worship resulted in six cases.

The report does not identify where these clusters were found.

However, officials at the University of the Nations earlier this month confirmed a second outbreak at the Kailua-Kona school. Twenty people had tested positive as of April 2, and 64 people were being quarantined as a precaution.

The DOH on Thursday reported 122 new COVID-19 cases statewide, including 11 new cases on Hawaii Island.

Fifty-four cases have been reported in Hilo in the past 14 days, while 45 have been identified in Kailua-Kona during the same period.

On Thursday, 69 cases were reported on Oahu, 40 cases on Maui, one case on Kauai and one resident was diagnosed outside the state.

Hawaii County as of Thursday had a 1.6% test positivity rate, compared to a 1.8% positivity rate statewide, a 2.1% positivity rate in the City and County of Honolulu and a 3.1% positivity rate in Maui County. Kauai County has a 0.6% positivity rate.

Additionally, the deaths of an Oahu woman in her 60s, a Maui man in his 30s and a Maui woman also in her 60s were reported Thursday. The three individuals had underlying conditions and were hospitalized.

As of Thursday, nearly 900,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered throughout Hawaii by the state and federal governments.

Statewide, 888,772 doses have been administered, including 681,722 through the DOH; 119,410 through federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Defense; and 87,640 through federal programs for nursing and long-term care facilities.

The state has administered 99,775 vaccines in Hawaii County. About 32% of the Big Island’s 201,500 residents have received at least one vaccine dose, while 18.8% have completed a two-dose series from Moderna or Pfizer.

As of Thursday, the DOH had ordered 817,640 vaccine doses and received 812,640.

Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.