VIDEO: Gov. Ige to allow ‘low-contact’ retailers to reopen as Hawaii’s coronavirus tally rises by just 1 case to 621

UPDATE 3:50 p.m.

Gov. David Ige said he is planning to sign a 7th proclamation today or Tuesday that will allow “low-contact” retailers to reopen as long as they can minimize contact between employees and customers.

“We’re looking at allowing retail to begin as soon as I sign my emergency proclamation. Retail is in the very first phase of reopening, restaurants is a lot more complicated issue,” he said, adding that the state is encouraging businesses to focus on online sales and reducing contact exchanges.

“We continue to work with the Hawaii Restaurant Association, looking at best practices from other communities and other states. Other states looked at a phased reopening of restaurants. We … are looking at what guidelines need to be put in place, what the social distancing requirements would be,” Ige said.

UPDATE, 3:30 p.m.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner joined Gov. David Ige at his press briefing this afternoon.

Watch the video above.

Lassner announced this morning the UH system will resume in-person classes in the fall.

No plans have been made for intercollegiate athletics in the fall.

“We’re not there yet with a plan for intercollegiate athletics just yet,” Lassner said during the press conference. “It’s complicated for student athletes, it’s complicated for fans.”

He also said there is a plan to quarantine arriving neighbor island and mainland students if that is still a public health requirement.

Lassner said the highest risk the university faces is residence halls. Those will be open at UH Manoa and UH Hilo.

“We have many students who have no safe place to go except to stay with us,” Lassner said.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

Hawaii’s tally of coronavirus cases has risen by one case to a total of 621, the state Department of Health announced today.

The one new case was on the Big Island.

A total 548 patients have recovered since the start of the outbreak, with health officials reporting four new recoveries today. More than 88% of the people who have been infected in Hawaii are now classified as released from isolation by the state Health Department.

Of all the confirmed Hawaii cases since the start of the outbreak, 73 have required hospitalizations, with no new hospitalizations reported today, health officials said.

The state’s coronavirus death toll stands at 17, unchanged from Sunday. Eleven of the deaths have been on Oahu and six on Maui.

Today’s statewide total includes 400 cases on Oahu, 116 in Maui County, 75 on Hawaii island, and 21 in Kauai County, according to health officials. The statewide total also includes nine Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.

Honolulu has seen 374 patients recover (or 93.5%), Maui has had 91 recoveries (78%), the Big Island has seen 63 (84%), and Kauai has had 20 recoveries (95%), as of noon today, the Health Department says.

One hospitalization in the statewide count is a Hawaii resident who was diagnosed and treated outside the state, officials said. Of the 72 hospitalizations in the state, 53 have been on Oahu, 17 on Maui and one each on the Big Island and Kauai.

About 33,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted by state and clinical laboratories so far in Hawaii and just under 2% have been positive.

Hawaii’s relatively low infection rate prompted the Queen’s Medical Center today to take down the large coronavirus triage tent it had erected in March outside it’s emergency room on Punchbowl Street.

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