David Y. Ige

COVID-19 ACTIVITY APPEARS TO BE STABILIZING ON O‘AHU 

Concerns About Increasing Activity on Maui & Hawai‘i Island 

(Honolulu) – While there are indications that infections in Honolulu are beginning to stabilize and even decrease slightly, health officials are expressing concerns about growing activity on Maui and Hawai‘i island. Hawai‘i island has 23 new cases today for a cumulative total of 243 since the start of the pandemic. Maui has eight (8) additional cases for a cumulative total of 311. Most of the newly reported cases are reported on O‘ahu with 245 today for a cumulative total of 6,626.

Hawai‘i’s coronavirus death toll reached 51 today, with the Dept. of Health reporting two additional deaths. Both are O‘ahu men who were in the hospital and had underlying health conditions. One of the men was in the 50 to 59-year-old age group, and the other was in the 60 to 69-year-old group.

Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson extended statewide condolences to the family and friends of the latest people to pass from COVID-19. “The tragic loss of our loved ones and our neighbors is devastating and sadly, more deaths are expected as our case numbers continue to be high. We can work together to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by consistently practicing the 3W’s (wash your hands, watch your distance, wear your mask), and abiding by all State and County restrictions currently in place. We all can do our part to get the infection rate across Hawai‘i back under control,” he said.

Commenting on the increasing activity on the two Neighbor Islands, State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said, “Along with our county partners, we are closely monitoring these trends. We have concerns that ongoing gatherings, especially with inconsistent mask use or distancing, are contributing.” On Hawai‘i island two recent large gatherings are of particular concern: a beach gathering and a large funeral. Social media videos from the funeral showed people not physically distancing or wearing masks. More than 500 tests have been reportedly administered to people who attended the funeral with additional testing planned.

Clusters on Maui include cases at an assisted living facility and new cases associated with a hospital.

Today, is the first day of “surge testing” on O‘ahu where federal, state and county partners hope to test 5,000 people each day over the next 12 days. This testing is free of charge and pain free as U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams and Lt. Gov. Dr. Josh Green demonstrate in this video: https://vimeo.com/451663548  

For more information & to make a reservation: www.doIneedacovid19test.com 

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Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of change to current time, August 26, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)
O‘ahu	245	6,626++
Hawai‘i	23	243
Maui	8	308
Kauai	0	56
Moloka‘i	0	3
Lana‘i	0	0
HI residents diagnosed outside of HI	1	24
Total Cases	277	7,260
Deaths	2	51

++As a result of updated information, one case from O‘ahu was removed from the counts. 

Hospitalization count as of 8/25/20 at 5:30 pm: 10-Hawai‘i,30-Maui, 251-O‘ahu, 0-Kaua‘i 

Laboratory* Testing Data
There were 2,518 additional COVID-19 tests reported via electronic laboratory reporting.

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
185,675**	7,260	178,391

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting **24 test results were inconclusive

Hawaiicovid19.com 

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Dan Dennison
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