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Hawaii sees another spike of 14 new coronavirus cases as statewide total climbs to 803

DENNIS ODA / JUNE 14
                                Walkers and joggers exercised in Waikiki during the first Kalakaua Open Street Sundays.
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DENNIS ODA / JUNE 14

Walkers and joggers exercised in Waikiki during the first Kalakaua Open Street Sundays.

Hawaii recorded another spike of 14 new coronavirus cases today, as the statewide total of infections since the start of the outbreak climbed to 803, state Department of Health officials said in their daily midday count.

Today’s new cases include six on Oahu, one on Maui and seven on Kauai from a household with previously confirmed cases, health officials said today in an email.

“We have investigated every case with positive test results and identified several household clusters over the last few days,” said Health Director Bruce Anderson in an email. “The identification of these clusters and subsequent investigations resulted in the isolation and quarantine of cases and close contacts. These clusters reinforce the importance of maintaining safe practices, especially wearing masks and physically distancing when meeting with people outside your immediate ohana.”

Kauai reported no coronavirus cases for ten weeks, but the recent household cluster raised the island’s tally to 29.

“We expected COVID-19 would return to our island, so this is not a surprise,” said Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami in an email. “However, the large number of contacts identified by the investigation is concerning, and it reinforces our need to take measures to protect ourselves and those around us.”

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On Friday, the state reported 27 new infections as Oahu bars, gyms, fitness centers, movie theaters and museums were among the businesses that reopened.

Health officials said the spike of cases in recent days was a result of Hawaii residents relaxing safety measures such as physical distancing, wearing face masks and washing their hands frequently.

“It’s important to maintain physical distancing from those who don’t live in your household, but as this and other clusters demonstrate, coronavirus can be spread among people in the same household,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said in an email. “We strongly urge people to take care and physically distance, no matter the setting… indoors or out, or at least wear a mask when around others outside your household.”

As of today, 142 infections in Hawaii are active cases with a total of 644 patients now classified by health officials as “released from isolation” since the start of the outbreak in February. Two new release cases were reported today. The category counts those infected people who have met the criteria for being released from isolation.

About 80% of the Hawaii people who have been infected are now classified as released from isolation.

By county, Honolulu has seen 430 patients released from isolation, and Maui has had 113 patients released. The Big Island has two active infections, while Kauai has eight active infections.

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

The state’s count of new COVID-19 cases so far in June has already doubled the total of new cases recorded in May.

Today’s statewide coronavirus cases total includes 557 on Oahu, 122 in Maui County, 83 on Hawaii island, and 29 in Kauai County, according to health officials. The total also includes 12 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.

Of all the confirmed Hawaii cases since the start of the outbreak, 96 have required hospitalizations, with one new hospitalization reported today, health officials said.

One hospitalization in the statewide count is a Hawaii resident who was diagnosed and treated outside the state, officials said. Of the 95 hospitalizations in the state, 70 have been on Oahu, 22 on Maui, two on Hawaii island, and one for Kauai.

Of the more than 67,860 coronavirus tests conducted so far by state and clinical laboratories in Hawaii, about 1.2% have been positive. Health officials counted 1,126 new test results in today’s tally.

Hawaii has seen an upsurge in cases in June after a relatively mild May. So far this month, Hawaii has reported 155 new confirmed cases, compared with 46 for all of May.

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