The Johns Hopkins COVID Dashboard for Sunday, December 13, at 5:26 a.m.:

Worldwide cases: 71,866,583    Worldwide deaths: 1,607,798

U.S. cases: 16,074,511   U.S. deaths: 297,864

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide case report increased by 567,957  in the last 24 hours.  Deaths worldwide increased by 9,694.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 197,185 cases in the last 24 hours.

In the last day,  the number of people who have died in the U.S. from  COVID-19 increased by 2,073.

The COVID Tracking Project reports that 108,487  people were hospitalized nationwide with COVID-19 as of yesterday.  Hospitalization rates on the mainland have been increasing at an alarming rate, with some hospitals getting close to being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.   On the Big Island, Hawaii County Civil Defense reported on  Saturday that 3 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.

Hawaii has had 19,148 total cases of COVID-19.  Yesterday’s increase was 198, which according to Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, included 63 inmates at Halawa Prison on O’ahu.  The Big Island had 17 new cases yesterday, with 1,708 total cases.  In the past 14 days, Hilo (96720) and Kona (96740) have each added 34 new cases.

The State Department of Health says one cluster of 7 on the Big Island is associated with a gym.  According to the State’s Cluster Report, 5 people in the gym have COVID-19 plus 2 people who were exposed by a person or people who had been at that gym and had COVID-19.  On Maui, most cases were being spread at bars and restaurants.  On O’ahu, the State Department of Health attributed COVID-19 spread to correctional facilities, places of worship, construction sites, restaurants, shelters, gyms, and schools.

On Friday, the FDA granted an Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.  On Saturday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended use of the vaccine for people 16 and older, except for those with an allergy to any of the vaccine’s components.  According to Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green, M.D., pregnant women are also not advised to get this vaccine.  The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is now waiting for the final approval from CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield.

In expectation of Dr. Redfield’s approval, shipments of the vaccine are now on their way to every state, including Hawaii.  For more about the State’s vaccine plan, a discussion with Lt. Gov. Dr. Green is included in today’s Island Conversations with Sherry Bracken, available as a podcast , below.  The program begins with the rest of the conversation with Mayor Mitch Roth–Part 1 with Mayor Roth is also at the podcast site.

Island Conversations #114–COVID vaccines with Lt. Gov. Green and more with Mayor Mitch Roth