Virus hospitalizations rise in Hawaii as omicron spreads

HONOLULU — Hawaii recorded an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations Wednesday as the omicron variant continued to spread throughout the islands.

State data initially showed was a 35% increase in hospitalizations from the previous day, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. But the newspaper later said the state mistakenly reported more than 400 hospitalizations due to double-counting one hospital’s patient census.

Using corrected data, officials later reported a total of 331 infected patients in Hawaii hospitals Wednesday. There were 324 on Tuesday.

There were 35 people in intensive care and 13 on ventilators Wednesday, the state said. On Tuesday, there were 31 patients in intensive care and 14 on ventilators.

Hawaii, with a population of about 1.5 million people, reported more than 3,500 new cases Wednesday.

On Monday, the Queen’s Health Systems announced an “internal state of emergency” for its hospital in west Oahu.

According to the Star-Advertiser, Queen’s Chief Operating Officer Jason Chang reported 96 health care providers from Queen’s Medical Center-West Oahu were out because of COVID exposure.

“There are 104 beds at QMC-West,” said Chang in a news release Monday. “As of 3 p.m. we have 112% inpatient occupancy. In the Emergency Department we currently have 58 patients and 16 inpatients holding.”

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This version reflects corrected hospitalization numbers from the state.