The state Department of Health on Monday once again reported a record-breaking number of new COVID-19 cases in Hawaii County.
The DOH reported that there were 359 new COVID cases on the Big Island, breaking the previous record of 242 set Dec. 30. So far, there have been 792 new cases reported on the Big Island this year.
Statewide, there were 3,044 new COVID cases reported Monday, bringing the total for 2022 up to 8,868.
Back in 2020, it took from early March to early September for the state to break 9,000 cases total. Hawaii County took until early October 2020 to reach 800 cases.
Despite the extremely rapid spread of the omicron variant, hospitalizations remain low. The DOH reported no new hospitalizations statewide Monday, and no new deaths.
Mayor Mitch Roth, who himself contracted COVID-19 in December despite being fully vaccinated, will return to the office today, pending a negative test result, according to his spokesman Cyrus Johnasen.