Big Island COVID-19 Cases Surpass 60 Sunday

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NOTE: This story has been updated from its original version to include the most up-to-date counts. 

Hawai‘i County Civil Defense confirmed another two positive cases of coronavirus overnight, bringing the Big Island tally to 61.

Of this, 31 have been cleared as recovered and the remaining 30 are quarantined at home and being monitored by the Department of Health.

A total of 30 cases had been connected to a case cluster at McDonald’s locations in Kailua-Kona as of Saturday morning, DOH confirmed. Of those, 18 were employees of the locations on Makala Blvd. and inside the Henry Street Walmart, while 12 were family members of employees. It wasn’t immediately clear if the two new cases confirmed Sunday morning by Civil Defense were connected to the cluster.

While no customers have yet tested positive, several reports have come into Big Island Now that McDonald’s employees, some of whom work at multiple Kailua-Kona locations, did not universally practice social distancing measures. An Ocean View couple who fell ill three days after visiting the McDonald’s location on Makala Blvd. — across from Kona Commons, where the initial outbreak was reported — were tested for COVID-19 late in the week. Test results are pending.

“This so clearly demonstrates how important it is to follow the health advisories (to) stay at home if you are sick,” Civil Defense added Sunday. “The magnitude of this cluster outbreak could have been avoided.”

Drive through testing will be conducted at the Hilo Civic Center on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and in Kona at the Keauhou Shopping Center Monday, April 20 from 8 a.m. until noon and Thursday, April 23 from 8 a.m. until noon.

Screenings will also be conducted in Ocean View at St. Jude Episcopal Church on Wednesday, April 22. From 10 a.m. to noon, only those who’ve been prescreened via telehealth will be tested. From noon to 2 p.m., there will be limited on-site screening with testing if needed.