Hawai‘i COVID-19 Deaths Increase to 31, Daily New Cases Exceed 200 for First Time

All but one of the 201 newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases, reported by the state Department of Health today, are from O‘ahu. Maui has a single new case.

Health Director Bruce Anderson said, “Unfortunately, projections for increases in COVID case and ICU bed utilization are being realized.”  Many of the Intensive Care Units on O‘ahu are full or close to full and hospitals are surging, transferring patients, and opening new units to handle new patients, according to department officials. The Department of Health says ICU bed use on the Neighbor Islands has not changed significantly to date.

Yesterday, Governor Ige and Mayor Caldwell announced restrictions on large group gatherings, the closure of beaches and parks, and the reinstitution of a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all travel from Oʻahu to the Neighbor Islands. “These actions are targeted toward what we know to be high risk activities,” said Anderson.

“Given the incubation period of COVID can be as long as 14 days, we are seeing the result of exposures a week or two ago and it will probably be at least a couple of weeks before we can expect to see the benefit of the restrictions on these activities and events on O‘ahu,” said Anderson in a press release. “We all need to act now. Avoid crowded places, closed spaces and close contact. Your life and the lives of your loved ones and friends will depend on it.”

Two More Hawai‘i Deaths, Bring State Total to 31

For a second day in a row, DOH is reporting two deaths, as a result of the COVID-19 infection. Dr. Anderson extended sympathies to the family and friends of the latest victims.  “Their passing’s are a stark reminder of the realities today. Unfortunately, we are going to see more and more casualties as the surge of cases over the last few weeks continues and, sadly, more and more families and neighborhoods will experience the loss of loved ones.”

Both of the latest victims are men from O‘ahu, and are said to have had underlying medical conditions.  Health investigations into their deaths continues.

• One was older than 60-years-old and had been in the hospital. He died on August 4. He was exposed to a positive household member.
• The second man passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 5, and was in the 40 to 59-year-old age group. His death was reported by the Honolulu Medical Examiner because he died at home, unattended. His family reported he had symptoms but did not seek medical care.

Public health officials, including State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park, have warned that people getting together in social settings, “whether it be on the beach, in a park, in a home, or anywhere else have let down their guard down and fail to maintain safe practices, which will inevitably further the spread of this virus.”

On Thursday, State and County leaders issued a renewed plea for everyone to take personal responsibility and to maintain safe practices to stop the surge. They are also stepping up enforcement of emergency rules, by putting more police officers into the field to aggressively enforce the renewed restrictions in Honolulu, which includes the closure of all 300 county and state beaches and public parks on Oʻahu.

With today’s announcement, there are now 31 COVID-19 related deaths in Hawaiʻi, including 24 on Oʻahu, six in Maui County, and one Kauaʻi resident who was hospitalized in Arizona. Hawaiʻi has a mortality rate of 2.1 deaths per 100,000, according to Lt. Gov. Green. Prior COVID-19 related deaths are posted below.

List of COVID-19 Related Deaths in Hawai‘i:

• (Aug. 6) An elderly female, with underlying medical conditions, had been a resident at a Pearl City nursing home, but then was hospitalized.
• (Aug. 6) An elderly man, also with underlying health issues, was also in the hospital when he died.
• (July 27) A Honolulu man with underlying medical conditions has died.  Department of Health officials say the man was in the 40 to 59-year-old age group and had tested positive for COVID-19. An investigation into his cause of death continues, and it is recorded as the 27th COVID-19 death in Hawai‘i since the beginning of the pandemic.
• (July 23) State officials 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, July 22 and was included in the July 23rd recap.
• (July 22) An Oʻahu man, between 40-59 years-of-age was the state’s 25th COVID-19 related death. The death was reported late Tuesday, June 21. This was the fourth COVID-19 death in this age group.
• (July 17) An elderly O‘ahu woman, with underlying medical conditions, was the 24^th death due to coronavirus for Hawai‘i. The woman died on Thursday, July 16, and her passing was reported the following day.
• (July 17) Hawaiʻi reported a 23rd COVID-19 related death involving an elderly Oʻahu resident who had been isolating at home with family.  The state Department of Health confirms that the individual was a man over the age of 60 who had an underlying health condition.
• (July 11-12 weekend) One patient was an elderly Kaua‘i resident who died out of state, in Arizona over the July 11-12 weekend. Health officials say the man had been receiving treatment for several months for underlying medical conditions.
• (July 12) A female died in an O‘ahu hospital Sunday morning, July 12, and had previously been a resident of a care home.
• (July 7) An elderly O‘ahu man with underlying medical issues died July 7^th. State health officials say the man’s death was added today after a review of his health history and discussions with his primary care physician.
• (July 3) An elderly patient on O‘ahu who was hospitalized with multiple underlying health issues.
• (June 26) An elderly Honolulu man was the 18^th death in Hawai‘i due to the coronavirus.  The last reported death prior to this was on May 3, one-and-a-half months earlier.
• (May 3) The 17^th death is a woman, over the age of 60 on Maui, 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.
• (April 27) The 16^th death is an Oʻahu woman who is over 65-years-old and had underlying conditions and had been hospitalized since early April.
• (April 26) An O‘ahu man, over the age of 65, with underlying health conditions passed away on April 26. He had been in the hospital since early March and his infection was presumed to be community associated.
• (April 24) The Hawai‘i Department of Health reported the 13^th and 14^th deaths associated with COVID-19 in the state. One is an O‘ahu man who had been hospitalized since the beginning of April, was over 65-years-old, and had underlying medical conditions. He had a history of travel to Las Vegas in March. The other is also an O‘ahu man, over 65-years-old, who’d also been hospitalized recently and also had underlying health conditions. His infection was the result of community-associated spread.
• (April 20) The Hawai‘i Dept. of Health reports that two additional coronavirus related deaths occurred on April 20, bringing the total in the state to 12 since tracking began on Feb. 28, 2020.  The deaths occurred on O‘ahu and on Maui and both were men, 65-years-old, or older. On Maui, the man who passed had underlying health conditions. He had been in the hospital at Maui Memorial Medical Center since late last year, according to state Health officials.  This person’s death is considered related to the MMMC cluster.
• (April 19) The fourth Maui 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.
• (April 11) A woman, over 65-years-old is the ninth death from COVID-19. State officials say she had underlying medical conditions and had tested positive for the virus when she was hospitalized on O‘ahu.
• (April 7) 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.
• (April 8) The second Maui death was announced on Wednesday, April 8, and was an unattended death. The person who passed was identified as an adult male resident over the age of 65.
• (April 6) 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.
• (April 4) An East O‘ahu adult male, over 65-years-old, is the 4th person to die from COVID-19. The individual passed on April 4, and based on preliminary information, this case was travel-related in that the person may have been exposed to someone who had traveled. He had been hospitalized.
• (April 3) The Hawaiʻi Department of Health reported the death of a third individual with COVID-19. The elderly Oʻahu resident had been hospitalized in critical condition on life support for several weeks after returning from travel to Washington state.
• (April 2) Hawaiʻi officials confirm a second COVID-19 related death in the state.
• (March 30). Governor David Ige offered condolences to the family of an individual, as the state reported it’s first death linked to the COVID-19 virus. The individual passed away on March 20 and was identified as an older adult male resident of Oʻahu who was hospitalized with multiple medical issues and did have a positive COVID-19 exposure, according to state Health officials.  The presumptive positive result came back from a private lab.