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Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center Daily News Digest, August 31, 2020

Posted on Aug 31, 2020 in COVID-19 News Releases, Latest Department News

Office of the Governor:  
Governor Announces Additional Unemployment Funding  
Gov. David Ige has announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has approved the State’s application to participate in the unemployment insurance plus up program, called the Lost Wages Assistance Program. On Friday, Gov. Ige said, “We pursued the additional funds because we know the added $300 per week will help many in our community who are struggling. I have directed the department to implement the program as quickly as possible while maintaining the program’s integrity.” Additional information on how to apply is expected to be announced shortly.

https://governorige.hawaii.gov/newsroom/latest-news/office-of-the-governor-news-release-governor-ige-announces-additional-unemployment-funding-to-come-lc/

Department of Health:
Percentage of Positive Cases Remains Level, but High – More Deaths Reported with Widespread Community Infections
Seven (7) additional deaths from COVID-19 are reported today; five (45) on O‘ahu and two (2) on Hawai‘i island. On O‘ahu, four (4) men, with underlying health conditions, were hospitalized before passing away. Two (2) were older than 80, another was in the 70 to 79-year-old age group, and the third in the 60 to 69-year old group. A woman on O‘ahu, with underlying conditions was in the 60 to 69-year-old age group and was also hospitalized when she passed away. On Hawai‘i island two (2) men, both residents of the State Veteran’s Home, and both older than 80 passed away.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, August 31, 2020

Island of Diagnosis New Cases Reported since

2/28/2020

(including new cases)
O‘ahu 107 7,691
Hawai‘i 24 364
Maui 1 331
Kaua‘i 0 57
Moloka‘i 0 4
Lana‘i 0 0
HI residents diagnosed outside of HI 1 25
Total Cases 133 8,472
Deaths    7 70

Hospitalization count as of 8/28/20 at 4:15 pm: 16-Hawai‘i,28-Maui, 228-O‘ahu, 0-Kaua‘i    

Laboratory* Testing Data
There were 1,463 additional COVID-19 tests reported via electronic laboratory reporting. Initial results of surge testing are expected to become available tomorrow.

Total Number of Individuals Tested

by Clinical and State Laboratories

 Positive Negative
198,182** 8,472 189,681
     

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting **29 test results were inconclusive

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts for Sunday, August 30, 2020
The one death reported on Sunday, was an O‘ahu woman, with underlying health conditions and in the 60 to 69-year-old age group.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, August 30, 2020

Island of Diagnosis New Cases Reported since

2/28/2020

(including new cases)
O‘ahu 174 7,584
Hawai‘i 22 364
Maui 4 330
Kaua‘i 0 57
Moloka‘i 0 4
Lana‘i 0 0
HI residents diagnosed outside of HI 0 24
Total Cases 200 8,339
Deaths    1 63
     

 

Laboratory* Testing Data
There were 2,784 additional COVID-19 tests reported via electronic laboratory reporting.

Total Number of Individuals Tested

by Clinical and State Laboratories

 Positive Negative
196,719** 8,339 188,351
     

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting **29 test results were inconclusive

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts for Saturday, August 29, 2020
Three (3) deaths reported on Saturday are all O‘ahu men with underlying conditions. Two (2) were older than 80. The other victim was in the 50 to 59-year-old group.

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

Island of Diagnosis New Cases Reported since

2/28/2020

(including new cases)
O‘ahu 263 7,410
Hawai‘i 39 318
Maui 7 327++
Kaua‘i 1 57
Moloka‘i 0 3
Lana‘i 0 0
HI residents diagnosed outside of HI 0 24
Total Cases 310 8,139
Deaths    3 62

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

Laboratory* Testing Data
There were 3,025 additional COVID-19 tests reported via electronic laboratory reporting.

Total Number of Individuals Tested

by Clinical and State Laboratories

 Positive Negative
193,935** 8,139 185,770
     

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting **26 test results were inconclusive

Www.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 Transportation:
DOT Using H-3 Freeway as COVID Testing Site Tuesday, Thursday 
Drivers are reminded the H-3 Freeway will be used Tuesday and Thursday this week for COVID-19 surge testing. Closures run from 5 a.m. through 6 p.m. on both days,  which means the only vehicles that will be allowed on the H-3 Freeway during these times will be occupants who are getting free COVID-19 tests. This is being offered through a partnership between the City and County of Honolulu, the State of Hawai‘i, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Office of the Surgeon General.

Registration and testing will take place inside the tunnels in both directions. This will be on the right-hand side. The left-side lanes of the tunnel will be open for emergency access (note this is a change from what was announced last Friday). Testing times run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., though drivers can begin lining up at 8:30 a.m. Vehicles can drive up to the registration tables, present vouchers and receive the test kit. They will then drive up to the testing tables to complete the process. Once testing is complete vehicles must continue traveling on the H-3. They will not be allowed to turn around for everyone’s safety. Learn more and how to register:

https://hidot.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/08/31/full-h-3-freeway-closure-sept-1-and-sept-3/ 

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
3rd Quarter Report Shows Hawaii’s Economy Will Contract Slightly Faster
Hawai‘i’s economy will contract at a slightly faster pace in 2020 than previously forecast due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, DBEDT reported in its latest quarterly forecast. In the report issued last Friday, DBEDT projected Hawai‘i’s economy will contract by 12.3 percent in 2020, a slight deterioration from the 12.1 percent contraction forecast in May. The revision is mainly due to the delayed pre-test program for trans-Pacific travel and the current two-week Stay-at-Home, Work-from-Home order for O‘ahu. 

The health impacts of the pandemic are inextricably linked with its economic impacts. As a result, when actions are taken to reduce the community spread of the virus the economy quickly feels the impacts. The stay-at-home order for O‘ahu was reinstated last Thursday after a period in which the number of COVID-19 cases rose sharply. As of Aug. 27, Hawai‘i, had a total of 7,566 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 55 deaths. Though Hawai‘i had one of the lowest rates of confirmed cases per 100,000 population (3rd lowest in the U.S. with 534 cases per 100,000 population as of August 27, 2020), the growth of confirmed COVID-19 cases accelerated significantly after August 3.

Due to the increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases here and in many of the states where Hawai‘i visitors were arriving from and where Hawai‘i residents often visit, such as California, Arizona and Nevada, Gov. David Ige announced that the start of the pre-test program for U.S. mainland visitors to Hawai‘i initially planned to begin on Sept. 1, 2020 is postponed until Oct.1, 2020. Read full release: https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/qser/outlook-economy/

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: 
DCCA Employee COVID Test Re-Reviewed, Comes Back Negative  
Last Thursday DCCA announced that one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.  However, after reviewing the test, officials now say it’s negative. The DCCA says the employee was notified on Friday that the test was reviewed a second time and was determined as negative. As previously scheduled, the Office of Consumer Protection and the 8th floor office where the employee worked was already professionally sanitized.

Hawai‘i State Judiciary:
Supreme Court Issues Second Order Regarding the Hawai‘i Bar Exam  
In light of the continuing increase in coronavirus cases on O‘ahu, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court has issued an order extending the deadline for bar applicants to choose to defer taking the exam to a future date with no additional application fee – or pursue a provisional license good through July 1, 2022. The original deadline to defer or apply for a provisional license was July 28. Applicants now have until September 9, the first day of the Hawai‘i State Bar Exam, to make a choice.

Currently, there are 120 applicants who have chosen to take the written exam using their laptops. The exam will be administered September 9-10 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center in a 59,000-square-foot exhibition hall. Each applicant will be seated alone at an eight-foot table, with at least 10 feet between each table. Read more:

https://www.courts.state.hi.us/news_and_reports/2020/08/supreme-court-issues-second-order-regarding-the-hawaii-bar-exam

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Joint Information Center 

Helpful Resources 

Coronavirus Hub site:  

This site, from the Hawai‘i Office of Planning, Statewide GIS Program, brings together information resources and applications from various agencies, and features a COVID-19 Dashboard and a testing site locator that includes the surge testing sites. 

https://coronavirus-response-histategis.hub.arcgis.com/ 

To report violators:  https://www.kauai.gov/KPD-Online-Reporting

To report violators: (808) 244-6400 or [email protected]

  • City & County of Honolulu

    Interisland passengers arriving on Oahu are not subject to the mandatory quarantine.

To report violators:808-723-3900 or [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