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Hawaii Department of Health has tracked consecutive increases in COVID-19 positivity rates , indicating a rebound as new variants take hold. in the islands.” decoding=”async” style=”max-height:600px;object-fit:contain;” fetchpriority=”high” srcset=”https://staradvertiser.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/web1_20230412-web-covid-test.jpg 760w, https://staradvertiser.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/web1_20230412-web-covid-test-300×200.jpg 300w, https://staradvertiser.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/web1_20230412-web-covid-test-600×400.jpg 600w” sizes=”(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px”>
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An intake specialist works testing samples for COVID-19 at the Honolulu airport in August 2022. Over the past five weeks, the Hawaii Department of Health has tracked consecutive increases in COVID-19 positivity rates, which indicates a rebound as new variants take hold on the islands. .
Over the past five weeks, the Hawaii Department of Health has tracked consecutive increases in COVID-19 positivity rates, indicating an uptick as new variants take hold on the islands.
The DOH reported an average positivity rate of 10.5% today, up from 8.5% the previous week. On May 1, the average positivity rate was 4.3%.
The DOH in its latest variant report noted that the “FLiRT” variants, including KP.1.1, KP.2 and KP.3, have been present in the islands since mid-April. The FLiRT variants, named after the technical names of their mutations, are descendants of JN.1, which was dominant in the United States earlier this year.
The mutations potentially make the variants more immunoevasive by improving their ability to bind to cells, and could possibly drive a wave of new COVID cases this summer, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Meanwhile, health officials warn that COVID activity is increasing, according to the DOH’s new respiratory disease activity dashboard.
The dashboard, developed by DOH’s Disease Outbreak Control Division, provides a snapshot of current respiratory disease activity across the state, including COVID, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
COVID is currently at the yellow, or medium activity, level, meaning the virus is circulating at higher levels than would be expected based on historical trends.
Influenza and RSV remain at green, or low activity levels, and acute respiratory illness overall is at a medium level.
“The new respiratory disease dashboard provides, in one place, a summary of what is happening with several important respiratory viruses that contribute to respiratory diseases in Hawaii,” state epidemiologist Sarah Kemble said in a news release. “This helps people make informed decisions about their health.”
“This week, the dashboard shows that COVID-19 test positivity is higher than expected and increasing,” he continued, “and that emergency department (emergency department) visits and hospital admissions for COVID-19 19 are also increasing. Based on this information, I would recommend checking to see if you have received the 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine and, if not, or if you are eligible for a repeat dose, receive it today.”
In February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended an additional dose of the current COVID vaccines for Americans 65 and older who had received one in the fall.
According to CDC wastewater data, current coronavirus levels in Hawaii are increasing and are at a high level.
State hospitalizations have also increased: 55 COVID patients were reported last Wednesday, up from 27 two weeks ago.
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