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Overwhelmed with cases, state to process only positive results

Hawaii has seen nearly 48,000 cases in past two weeks

The Maui News

The state Department of Health temporarily stopped reporting specific data sets on COVID-19 on Sunday so its data collection and reporting system can continue to accurately process the thousands of positive tests recorded at laboratories daily.

The DOH said in a news release that its system has not been able to process the large volume of positive and negative cases in recent days. As a result, thousands of cases both positive and negative, have not been reported.

To expedite the processing and reporting, DOH is suspending processing negative cases, which “will allow for accurate positive case counts,” the news release said.

Specific data sets not reported Sunday include each county’s test positivity rate.

“The number of cases Hawaii is experiencing is unprecedented, leading to a tremendous demand for testing,” Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char said. “As testing data flows through the electronic reporting system, the system is stressed. Our essential DOH employees are also wrestling with tremendous challenges. We must adapt to address these circumstances.”

Also due to the record high COVID-19 case counts in recent weeks, the DOH is changing its investigation of cases as contract tracers cannot keep pace with the large number of cases.

Contact tracers are focusing their attention on priority groups including COVID-19 clusters associated with schools and high-risk settings such as long-term care facilities.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble said:

“We have reported roughly 48,000 COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks, It would be unrealistic to think our 378 contact tracers could get in touch with all those people. So, we are focusing on providing general and setting-specific guidance, and on cluster investigations that will help protect vulnerable populations.”

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