The State Department of Health reports there are 105 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, the lowest number of new cases in weeks. The total number of cases in the state is now 9,959.  There are 6,845 active cases.

The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the State’s report is 86, which includes only 3 deaths in Hawaii County.  This county has had 8 confirmed deaths from COVID-19, all at the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home.  The management of the residence notes that all had significant underlying health issues, which would have made it more difficult for them to fight the virus.  Dan Brinkman, CEO of Hilo Medical Center, says the hospital uses both remdesivir and dexamethasone to treat COVID-19 patients, which can help, but there is no known cure for the virus yet.

The Big Island’s cumulative case count is now 517, with 11 new cases today.   There are 282 active cases, which are supposed to be monitored and for whom the contacts must be traced by the State Department of Health.  Hilo Medical Center has 13 patients in the hospital with COVID-19, 5 of whom are in the ICU, 8 of whom are in the COVID Unit.

Kaua’i has added zero cases.  Maui County has added 4 cases.  O’ahu has added 90 cases.

The case count additions are far lower than in recent weeks, and it’s not clear if that’s because the positive cases have significantly declined or whether because of the Labor Day weekend, there may have been less testing and the labs may or may not have processed all the tests.

The State’s noon report: