The COVID-19 cluster report highlights Oahu elementary school and notes a downward trend in nationwide cases

October 29 – The Hawaii Department of Health‘s latest cluster report shows a downward trend in cases, with only 13 clusters currently being studied nationwide.

The report released today highlights a group of 30 coronavirus cases related to an elementary school in Oahu that occurred in August and September.

Seven people in a class of 30 students and staff tested positive and connected to each other.

Those seven cases then spread the virus to household members, resulting in 22 secondary cases. One of these secondary cases – a person who was not vaccinated – was also hospitalized.

There were also six breakthrough cases among the fully vaccinated, including a staff member and five secondary cases that resulted from this cluster.

The school implemented several containment strategies to stop the spread of COVID-19, including wearing masks, physical distancing, and screening and testing students, faculty and staff on campus.

The DOH Response Team also advised the school to improve ventilation in the classrooms. It turned out that the school’s teachers kept windows and doors closed to maintain central air conditioning and limit outside noise.

The team recommended that the school improve classroom airflow for extra protection.

The DOH is currently awaiting federal approval to give Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to Keiki ages 5-11, which will cover the age range of most elementary school students.

Governor David Ige said earlier this week that the state is planning more than 150 vaccination sites for younger children, including the possibility of more than 100 schools serving as vaccination sites.

At the same time, DOH noted in this cluster report that Hawaii has seen a downward trend in COVID-19 cases across the country in the past few weeks.

Today DOH reported, bringing the state’s total number to 891 deaths and 83,832 cases since the pandemic began. The 7-day average of new cases is 121 and the average positivity rate is 2.1%.

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These 13 clusters – compared to 48 in mid-August – occurred at food suppliers, social gatherings, places of worship, construction and other professional fields.

Most of the cases are in prisons, which are still listed.

A cluster is defined as three or more confirmed or likely COVID-19 cases related to a specific location or event within an incubation period of two weeks. However, the same cluster can be included in multiple reports if a new case is identified within 14 days of the final report, according to the DOH.

In the middle of the delta rise in mid-August, DOH broke out at a wedding and a concert, among other things.

Health officials are investigating 13 clusters with more than 800 COVID-19 cases, most of which are related to ongoing clusters in correctional facilities. – In Honolulu County, officials are investigating two clusters in correctional facilities with 368 cases, two clusters in grocery suppliers with 60 cases, one in construction and industry with four cases, and one in travel, accommodation and tourism with six cases. – In County Maui, officials are investigating a cluster in an educational facility with 17 cases and two within other work environments with 16 cases. — In Hawaii County officials are investigating a group in a correctional facility with 336 cases, one at a social gathering with 13 cases and one others at a place of worship, resulting in 22 cases. — In Kauai County, officials examine only one cluster at a social meeting that resulted in four cases.