May 18-25, 2022 COVID-19 update: 5 deaths, 8,924 new infections in Hawaiʻi

The state Department of Health is reporting a COVID-19 count of 8,924 new cases over the past week, between May 19-25, 2022. This comes following a record high of 6,252 new cases reported in a single day on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, during the omicron surge.

Cases have been trending up since mid-March, when 827 new COVID-19 cases were reported during the weekly tally. The latest data represents a ninth consecutive week of increases in new infections. 

• May 19-25: 5 deaths, 8,924 new infections
• May 12-18: 12 deaths, 7,149 new infections
• May 5-11, 2022: 6 deaths, 5,768 new infections
• April 28-May 4, 2022: 10 deaths, 4,249 new infections
• April 21-27, 2022: 11 deaths, 3,370 new infections
• April 14-20, 2022: 17 deaths, 1,736 new infections 
• April 7-13, 2022: 8 deaths, 1,327 new infections
• March 31-April 6, 2022: 3 deaths, 1,194 new infections 
• March 24-30, 2022: 6 deaths, 1,187 new infections
• March 17-23, 2022: 5 deaths, 827 new infections
• March 10-16, 2022: 14 deaths, 1,092 new infections

University of Hawaiʻi researchers reportedly are forecasting the current surge to peak some time in June, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser and Hawaii News Now. Both reports were based on forecasts by the Hawaiʻi Pandemic Applied Modeling Group.

Meantime, state officials announced a transition plan at the end of April from emergency response to public health management. 

The Hawai‘i Department of Health transitioned from daily to weekly COVID-19 data reporting effective March 9, 2022. Case counts and vaccination updates are now published every Wednesday.

The latest weekly count includes 772 cases on Maui, 1,102 on Hawaiʻi Island, 443 on Kauaʻi, 18 on Molokaʻi, 11 on Lānaʻi, and 103 out of state.  There are 6,475 new COVID-19 cases on Oʻahu.

The latest data represents a total of 14,871 “active” cases statewide over two weeks. 

Of this week’s 8,924 cases, there are 6,421 cases identified as confirmed, and 2,503 probable cases were added to the count.  The confirmed cases included: 4,558 on O‘ahu (+1,917 probable); 654 on Hawai‘i Island (+448 probable); 670 on Maui (+102 probable); 426 on Kaua‘i (+17 probable); 17 on Molokaʻi (+1 probable); eight on Lānaʻi (+3 probable); and 88 Hawai‘i resident diagnosed while out of state (+15 probable).

Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 deaths increased to 1,451, with five new deaths reported over the past week.

*Officials with the state Department of Health say that “because of the volume of COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 related deaths” going forward, the DOH “can no longer provide daily information including county of death, age range of the decedent, hospitalization status, gender, and whether or not the decedent had underlying conditions.” This information will be updated every Wednesday on the DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division data dashboard.

In Maui County, the seven day average for new daily cases is 67.6 per 100k; or 113 average over the last seven days. The countyʻs test positivity rate is 16.6%, and the statewide positivity rate is now 18.3%.

Statewide, with data through May 25, there are 162 people hospitalized with COVID-19, (less than the peak of 448 on Sept. 4), according to an update from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency. HIEMA statistics show 11 COVID-19 patients in the ICU statewide, and seven COVID-19 patients on ventilators. 

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino is calling for the public to use “respectful masking” and practice “COVIDsense” amid the rise in hospitalizations on Maui.

As of 9 a.m. on May 25, 2022, the latest data available, there were 23 individuals hospitalized in Maui County with COVID-19, below both the 41 reported during the height of the delta surge in August 2021, and the previous omicron high of 56 reported on Jan. 28, 2022. Of those hospitalized on Maui three individuals (all boosted) are in the ICU and two patients are on ventilators.

The new cases bring the cumulative total of cases to 274,495 (confirmed and probable) statewide, reported since Feb. 28, 2020.

The cumulative total of cases in Maui County is 28,968 confirmed cases over the course of the pandemic.  To date, there have been 978 confirmed cases on the island Molokaʻi, 697 on Lāna‘i and 27,293 on Maui.

There are 28,968 confirmed cases documented in Maui County over the course of the pandemic, plus an additional 4,624 probable cases, bringing the total cases attributed to the county to 33,592.

To date, there have been 1,451 COVID-19 related deaths in Hawaiʻi including: 1,076 on Oʻahu, 140 in Maui County, 194 on Hawaiʻi Island, 29 on Kauaʻi and 12 deaths in residents diagnosed while out-of-state.

QUARANTINE UPDATES:

COVID-19 Testing Availability on Maui:

Testing on Maui is available at the following locations:

• Lahaina: Lahaina Civic Center | Mondays and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.‍
• ‍Kīhei: 1280 S. Kīhei Road (behind Ace Hardware) | Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. ‍
• ‍Kahului: 348 Lehuakona St. (at Maui Marketplace) | Wednesdays & Saturdays, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Mauliola Pharmacy at the Cameron Center in Wailuku, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. (Booster shots are also available at the pharmacy, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.)

Additional testing sites throughout the County of Maui are posted here.

COVID-19 Vaccination Availability:

The vaccine clinic at Maui Memorial Medical Center is available on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. to accommodate the booster shot appointments. Additional vaccine sites available during the month are posted here.

Children ages 5 through 11 are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster shot five months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination.

Kaiser Permanente’s Maui Lani Medical Office will host a keiki vaccination clinic (Pfizer vaccine and booster) for children ages 5 to 11 on Saturday, June 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., by appointment only. Schedule an appointment for your child via an e-visit on kp.org. Non-members may schedule by calling 808-243-6000 (TTY 711), Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

22nd COVID-19 Emergency Proclamation; and Maui County Public Health Emergency Rules Available online

• USPS offering 8 free at home COVID-19 tests
• State officials: Indoor masking for Hawaiʻi public schools will remain through summer
• State transitions from emergency response to public health management
• Maui hospital visitor policy updated: two visitors allowed in most patient care areas
• Federal judge throws out CDC transportation mask mandate
• CDC extends travel-related mask mandate to May 3
• Hawaiʻi adopts CDC guidance, allowing additional booster for certain individuals
• Hawaiʻi’s indoor mask mandate expires March 25, 2022
• Safe Travels program ends March 26, 2022
• Maui Memorial Medical Center reinstates allowance of regular visitors
• Honolulu Mayor Blangiardi announces end of the City’s COVID-19 emergency orders
• Mayor repealing Maui County Public Health Emergency Rules, effective March 1, 2022
• Vaccines no longer required to dine-in on Maui, starting Monday Feb. 21, 2022