47 New COVID-19 Cases in Hawai‘i: 46 on O‘ahu, 1 on Maui

Today there were a total of 47 new COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi for a total of 1,757 reported over the course of the pandemic. The new cases include 46 on Oʻahu and one on Maui.  There are currently 526 active cases in the state, including 23 on Maui.

This comes after record high daily totals reported on Thursday (55), Friday (60) and Saturday (73). There were also 64 cases reported on Sunday and 28 cases on Monday.

• 64 New Covid-19 Cases in Hawai‘i on Sunday: 55 on O‘ahu, 7 on Maui, 2 on Kaua‘i
• Third Consecutive Day of Record High Numbers on Saturday, July 25 with 73 New COVID-19 Cases
• Second Day of Record High Numbers on Friday July 24 with 60 New COVID-19 Cases in Hawaii
• Record High Numbers on Thursday, July 23 with 55 New COVID-19 Cases in Hawaii

During a state briefing, officials anticipated a drop in new cases numbers tallied yesterday and today because the state didn’t conduct COVID-19 testing on Sunday due to the passing of Hurricane Douglas.  There were also reduced hours at private laboratories amid the hurricane threat.

• Mayor Victorino Asks Governor to Reinstate 14-Day Interisland Quarantine
• COVID-19 Update: Low Level of Community Spread on Maui, School Assessment

The breakdown by island includes the following:

• Oʻahu: 1419 confirmed positive (924 released from isolation);
• Maui County: 154 confirmed positive (125 released from isolation);
• Hawaiʻi Island: 116 confirmed positive (114 released from isolation); and
• Kauaʻi: 45 confirmed positive (42 released from isolation).
• Hawaiʻi residents who were diagnosed outside of Hawaiʻi: 23 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 167 cases (10%) that have required hospitalization.  At least 1,647 patients (94%) were residents.

Of the 154 cases in Maui County, at least 125 have been released from isolation, and 26 have required hospitalization.  Based on the current numbers, there are 23 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 1.8 deaths per 100,000, according to Lt. Gov. Green. Prior COVID-19 related deaths are posted here.

In Maui County, cases with onset in the last 28 days have been in all areas of Maui Island except for the East Maui zip code of 96713.  Of the 153 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, Spreckelsville, Kula and Haʻikū (6-10 cases); and Hāna and Molokaʻi (1-5 cases each).

Age breakdown is not available by county; however there is a breakdown of the statewide count.  Of the 1688 (excludes 22 residents diagnosed out of state) cases recorded *as of July 27 statewide (updated weekly): 171 were 0-19 years old (one of which required hospitalization); 617 were 20-39 years old (13 of which required hospitalization); 551 were 40-59 years old (41 of which required hospitalization; and four deaths); and 349 were 60+ years old (88 of which required hospitalization; and 21 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.; however, on Friday July 24, amid record increases in cases statewide, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino asked Governor David Ige to reinstate the 14-Day interisland quarantine.  As of the time of this posting, no decision had been made on the request. Upon lifting the interisland quarantine, the state implemented thermal screening, a new interisland travel form and a more robust contact tracing program.

This applies only to air travel within the state, and anyone arriving into the state is still subject to a 14-day quarantine as outlined above.  

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 was 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 Hawaiʻi Board of Education will review a proposal this Thursday at 1 p.m. that seeks to move the start date for students from the previously announced Aug. 4 date to Aug. 17 instead.

The state Department of Education had previously announced plans to re-opening classrooms in August for the Fall semester.  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.

Since the recent rise in cases, state officials continue to monitor school plans.
• COVID-19 Update: Low Level of Community Spread on Maui, School Assessment