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Hawaii COVID-19 JOINT INFORMATION CENTER DAILY NEWS DIGEST, SEPT. 29, 2020

Posted on Sep 29, 2020 in COVID-19 News Releases

Department of Health:
Two Additional Deaths and 87 New COVID-19 Cases Today 
Two (2) more O‘ahu residents have passed away due to coronavirus. One is a man, in the 70 to 79-year-old age group, who had underlying conditions and had been in the hospital. The other death is a woman, in the 50 to 59-year-old age category, with no known underlying health conditions. She too had been hospitalized. Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 death toll now stands at 134.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, Sept. 29, 2020

Island of Diagnosis New Cases Reported since

2/28/2020

(including new cases)  
O‘ahu 80 11,106
Hawai‘i 3 703
Maui 1 371
Kaua‘i 0 59
Moloka‘i 1 19
Lānaʻi 0 0
HI residents diagnosed outside of HI 2 32
Total Cases 87 12,290 
Deaths    2 134

Hospitalization count as of 9/28/20 at 5:30 pm: 16-Hawai‘i, 0-Maui, 131-O‘ahu, 0-Kaua‘i   

Hawai‘i Case Counts and Percent Positive Tests* 

  Daily Case Count, 7-day average  % Positive, 7-day average 
Statewide 106 3.0%
O‘ahu 99 4.3%
Hawai‘i 7 1.1%
Kaua’i 0 0.5%
Maui 0 0.1%

*Metrics reflect information updated as of noon the previous day. Case counts are calculated based on date of report. 

Percent positivity is calculated based on date of lab result. 

Laboratory* Testing Data
There were 1,550 additional COVID-19 tests reported via electronic laboratory. 

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories      Positive  Negative 
296,414**  12,290  284,097 

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting **27 test results were inconclusive. 

Hawaiicovid19.com 

For more tables, charts and visualizations visit the DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division:https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii 

Department of Public Safety:
Mass Testing Continues at Facilities Statewide  
PSD’s Health Care Division is continuing to work with DOH to conduct mass testing for COVID-19 at all correctional facilities statewide. The Halawa Correctional Facility (HCF) is also undergoing staff testing this week with the help of the Hawaiʻi National Guard. Of the 38 HCF staff results received so far, one was reported positive and 37 were negative. The order of the facilities next in line for inmate testing is still being worked out.

Meanwhile, PSD and the DOH are continuing mass testing of Oʻahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) inmates to mitigate virus spread in the incarcerated population. There were no new positive OCCC inmate or staff results reported today. There are currently no inmates hospitalized. The total number of PSD staff who have recovered and returned to work has jumped to 85. To view more on PSD’s planning and response efforts to COVID-19: https://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/

University of Hawai‘i:
UH Community Colleges Launch Free Work Training Initiative 
In an effort to fill the growing employment gap on Oʻahu, UH Community Colleges will be offering free job skills courses this Fall. The initiative, called Oʻahu Back to Work, is a partnership of the City and County of Honolulu and UH. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said, “I would like every struggling Oʻahu resident to check out this great opportunity, really think about the possibilities, and enroll if it seems right for you. As we attack the coronavirus with public health measures, we must also attack COVID’s economic toll with our talents and resolve. When one person builds their skills during this crisis, we all benefit. I thank everyone at the community colleges and all the future enrollees for contributing to rebuilding our island home.”

Oʻahu Back to Work is a short-term employment training program that runs from October 5, 2020 – December 18, 2020. Instructors at seven UH Community College campuses and the Manoa Outreach College will be providing more than 70 courses to O’ahu participants. The courses will be mostly virtual and fall under the following career fields: Business, Health, Industrial Engineering, Technology, Natural Resources, Public and Human Services, and Trades. UH President David Lassner said, “Our goal is to provide 2,000 Oʻahu participants with short term training for jobs that are currently available or will be available in the near future. The courses offered will focus on the skills that employers in each of these sectors indicated are most needed. This training should give participants the tools they need to succeed in our changing and challenging economy.”  To view the courses and sign up: https://oahubacktowork.com

Helpful Resources 

Hawai‘i COVID19 Joint Information Center
(808) 636-8194
[email protected] 

Dan Dennison
Lead Public Information Officer
Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center
[email protected]

Senior Communications Manager
Hawaii Dept. of Land & Natural Resources
Communications Office
[email protected]
(808) 587-0396