The state’s electronic data collection system for COVID-19 cases has become overwhelmed by the number of test results that it is trying to process. As a result, state health officials say they will stop processing negative test results beginning on Sunday, which will provide a more accurate daily count of positive cases.
The change means that the state will not be able to calculate the case positivity rate, which reflects the daily percentage of tests coming back positive. State epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble estimated that it could take two weeks to get the system functioning properly again.
The change has no effect on individuals who are awaiting their test results.
Kemble said that the state could see a bump in case counts over the next four to five days as delayed test results are processed within the state’s surveillance system.
“This is the general wave of cases just being stopped up a little bit, slowed down a little bit,” she said.
The reporting glitches have made it difficult to gauge the overall trend in the state’s COVID-19 cases. Though Hawaii Department of Health Director Dr. Libby Char said that she doesn’t think the state has entered a downward trend yet.
The Health Department today reported 5,977 new cases, a new single-day record for the state. The state has been experiencing jumps in new COVID-19 cases since December, shortly after the more transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus was detected in Hawaii.
The department also told reporters today that its contact tracers are not trying to contact everyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 because the case counts are too high. The state has reported about 48,000 cases in the past two weeks.
Instead, contact tracers are focusing on cluster investigations in locations such as schools and long-term care facilities.
“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,” said Kemble in a news release.
The state’s COVID-19 cases counts provide a proxy number for active cases. The actual case counts are expected to be much higher because home tests are not reported and not everyone who has COVID-19 gets tested.
Char is advising the public to wear well-fitting masks that should be kept on while near anyone not in the same household, avoid large crowds and isolate if COVID-19 symptoms are present or after potential exposure to the coronavirus.