BREAKING: 55 New Cases, Highest One-Day COVID-19 Count in Hawaii Since Beginning of Pandemic

The state of Hawaiʻi Department of Health is reporting 55 new COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi today–that’s the highest single-day count for the state since the start of the pandemic.

The new COVID-19 cases include: 50 on Oʻahu; three on Hawaiʻi Island and two on Maui.

The previous highest one-day count was on July 11, with 42 cases.

Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson said, “These cases represent people from all walks of life and varied professions, indicating the apparent challenges of maintaining safe practices is widespread across the state.”

Anderson also extended condolences to the family and friends of the 26th person to succumb to coronavirus, an elderly O‘ahu woman. Her death was reported to DOH late Wednesday and is included in today’s recap.

DOH continues to track and investigate numerous clusters. State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said, “Most cases are occurring as a result of people socializing and getting together either with work colleagues, extended family, or friends in multiple type of settings—without wearing face coverings or distancing. I continue to hope all in our community will maintain safe practices, but unfortunately the persistence of new cases would argue against that.”

The safe practices that the DOH encourages consistently are:

• Physical distancing of six-feet or more when around anyone outside your own household
• Wear masks when in public and/or unable to physical distance
• Frequent hand washing
• Stay home when sick

“Regrettably,” Dr. Park said, “many of the cases we’ve seen in recent weeks suggest that one or more of the safe practices were not being followed by individuals or groups of people. Hawaiʻi has done better and can do better; we all need to remember to maintain the safe practices in this COVID world.”

Both Dr. Anderson and Dr. Park continue to consult with and advise Governor Ige and his leadership team on the nexus between the public health crisis and the need to restore Hawai‘i’s economy as quickly as possible.

“Unfortunately, if we can’t get these numbers headed in the right direction, we may be facing the re-implementation of restrictions. No one wants that to happen and this is why it is so critical that everyone does their part, every day, everyplace in practicing safety for the sake of the health of all in Hawaiʻi,” said Anderson.

Further information is expected during a media briefing scheduled for 1 p.m. today.

Today there were a total of 55 new COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi for a total of 1,490 reported over the course of the pandemic. The new cases include 50 on Oʻahu, three on Hawaiʻi Island and two on Maui.  There are currently 319 active cases in the state, including 11 on Maui.

The state also reported a 26th person has died of coronavirus. Health officials say the patient was an elderly O‘ahu woman and her death was reported to DOH late Wednesday. Prior COVID-19 related deaths are posted here.

To date, 1125 people have recovered including 124 recovered in Maui County.

As of Tuesday, there were 46 people hospitalized for COVID-19 (confirmed and suspected) in Hawaiʻi, according to Lt. Gov. Green.  He also noted that 110 of 244 ICU beds (45%) were in use, 11 of them by COVID-19 positive patients.  As for ventilators, 47 of 459 were in use (10%) with six COVID-19 patients using ventilators.

The breakdown by island includes the following:

• Oʻahu: 1167 confirmed positive (852 released from isolation);
• Maui County: 141 confirmed positive (124 released from isolation);
• Hawaiʻi Island: 117 confirmed positive (107 released from isolation); and
• Kauaʻi: 43 confirmed positive (42 released from isolation).
• Hawaiʻi residents who were diagnosed outside of Hawaiʻi: 22 confirmed positive (and one death)
• Pending cases, where the island of residency has not been determined: 0

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health reports that there were 155 cases (11%) that have required hospitalization.  At least 1,389 patients (93%) were residents.

Of the 141 cases in Maui County, at least 124 have been released from isolation, and 26 have required hospitalization.  Based on the current numbers, there are 11 active cases in Maui County.

To date, there have been 26 COVID-19 related deaths in Hawaiʻi, including 19 on Oʻahu, six in Maui County, and one Kauaʻi resident who was hospitalized in Arizona. Hawaiʻi has a mortality rate of 1.7 deaths per 100,000, according to Lt. Gov. Green.

In Maui County, cases with onset in the last 28 days have been in the Lahaina, Makawao, Kīhei and Kula zip codes.  Of the 141 cases documented in Maui County over the course of the pandemic, Wailuku, Kahului and Lahaina had the most cases (more than 20 cases each); followed by Kīhei (11-20 cases); Makawao and Spreckelsville (6-10 cases); and Kula, Hāna, Haʻikū and Molokaʻi (1-5 cases each).

Age breakdown is not available by county; however there is a breakdown of the statewide count.  Of the 1371 (excludes 22 residents diagnosed out of state) cases recorded *as of July 20 statewide (updated weekly): 132 were 0-19 years old (one of which required hospitalization); 487 were 20-39 years old (12 of which required hospitalization); 447 were 40-59 years old (37 of which required hospitalization; and three deaths); and 305 were 60+ years old (80 of which required hospitalization; and 20 deaths).

Maui County has six COVID-19 related deaths

• Maui reported its first COVID-19 related death on Monday, April 6, of an adult male over the age of 65 with underlying health conditions and exposure to travelers.
• The second Maui death was announced on Wednesday, April 8, and was an unattended death.
• A third death in Maui County reportedly occurred on April 7, but was reported in the state count on Friday, April 10.  The third case involved an elderly individual who was in the chronic care unit.
• The fourth case was confirmed on April 19, and was an adult male from Washington state in the 40-59-year age group who had no previous medical conditions. State health officials say the man’s exposure history may be travel-related.  The man had been hospitalized for an extended period in serious condition at Maui Memorial Medical Center.
• The fifth Maui case occurred on Monday April 20 and involved a man who had underlying health conditions. He had been in the hospital at Maui Memorial Medical Center since late last year.  This person’s death is considered related to the MMMC cluster.
• The sixth Maui case was reported on May 3, 2020. The case involved a woman, over the age of 60, with underlying medical conditions. She had been in the hospital at Maui Memorial Medical Center since late February. Her infection occurred in mid-April. “COVID-19 is not believed to be the primary cause of death, due to her other serious illnesses, but may have been a contributing factor to her passing,” health officials said.

Quarantine Updates: 

On Monday, July 13, Gov. David Ige announced he is delaying the launch of the state’s pre-travel testing program by a month to Sept. 1, 2020. He also announced the extension of Hawai‘i’s 14-day quarantine on trans-Pacific travel to the end of August. The governor said he still believes in the program and reports that the state has made progress, but said spikes on the mainland and here at home have stalled the program that many equate to the reopening of tourism in Hawaiʻi.

A separate quarantine in place for interisland travel was lifted on Tuesday, June 16.  This applies only to air travel within the state, and anyone arriving into the state would still be subject to a 14-day quarantine as outlined above.  Upon lifting the interisland quarantine, the state has implemented thermal screening, a new interisland travel form and a more robust contact tracing program.

The state has since selected NEC Corporation, NEC Corporation of America and their partner, Infrared Cameras Inc., to provide thermal temperature screening and facial imaging technology at Hawaiʻi’s public airports.

The thermal temperature screening equipment will be installed immediately at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Kahului Airport, Līhuʻe Airport, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole and Hilo International Airport. 

• Phase 1 will have the temperature scanners installed this month at the gates currently being used for arriving trans-Pacific flights.
• Phase 2 will have the temperature scanners installed at the remaining gates in the coming weeks.
• Phase 3 expects to have the facial imaging equipment installed by Dec. 31, 2020.

Maui Public Schools Prepare for Start of Fall Semester in August

The state Department of Education still plans on re-opening classrooms in August for the Fall semester.  The department’s plans were reviewed on Thursday afternoon with the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19. Schools have three options to choose from: fully reopen with every student on campus for in-person instruction; come in on a rotating schedule with students doing both distance learning and in-person instruction; or do a full distance learning program. State School Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said models for individual schools are determined by the principals of respective schools.

Mayor Victorino Adds $3 Million to H.E.L.P. Program

Mayor Michael Victorino announced that Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. continues to accept applications for the Hawaiʻi Emergency Laulima Partnership (H.E.L.P.) program.

Through June 30, MEO received 5,690 applications and approved 4,361 for financial assistance through the program, for a total of $1.9 million in assistance.

The County of Maui has now allocated $5 million in general funds for the H.E.L.P. program, up from the initial $2 million when the program was launched. The program provided assistance to 11,775 individuals through the end of June.

The H.E.L.P. program provides financial assistance for Maui County residents to bridge the gap created by layoffs and reduction in work hours resulting in loss of income due to COVID-19. Assistance may be used for food, personal hygiene, medicine, rent, mortgage, utility payments, phone or Internet service, insurance or other essentials.

Beginning July 1, the maximum assistance in a 30-day period has increased to:

• Family of 1-2, $500
• Family of 3-4, $750
• Family of 5-6, $1,000
• Family of 7-plus, $1,250