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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / JULY 1
Beachgoers enjoy the beach in Waikiki. State and county officials are urging the public to continue to practice social distancing and to wear face masks as they head out for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Hawaii health officials reported 20 new coronavirus cases today as the statewide total number of infections since the start of the outbreak rose to 946.
Today’s new cases include 17 on Oahu and three on Hawaii island, according to the state Department of Health’s daily midday count.
Health officials said that 17 of the Honolulu cases “were associated with identified cases or clusters, as well as three (3) cases on Hawai‘i Island.” Community outreach and COVID-19 testing are ongoing, officials said.
With the approaching Fourth of July weekend, health officials reminded everyone to continue wearing face masks and practice social distancing as they celebrate with family and friends. Health officials said they are monitoring one reported cluster where people gathered and shared food at a potluck.
“We should wear our masks and stay six feet from others outside our household or those we don’t normally see and interact with every day,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said in an email. “Hawai‘i has kept COVID-19 case numbers manageable thanks to all of us diligently following infection prevention measures – and please keep up those efforts even during times of celebration.”
As of today, 182 infections in Hawaii are active cases with a total of 746 patients now classified by health officials as “released from isolation” since the start of the outbreak in February. Five new release cases were reported today. The category counts those infected people who have met the criteria for being released from isolation.
About 79% of the Hawaii people who have been infected are now classified as released from isolation.
The state’s coronavirus death toll remains at 18, with 12 of the deaths on Oahu and six on Maui.
Today’s statewide coronavirus cases total includes 676 on Oahu, 125 in Maui County, 90 on Hawaii island, and 38 in Kauai County, according to health officials. The total also includes 17 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.
Of all the confirmed Hawaii cases since the start of the outbreak, 116 have required hospitalizations, with no new hospitalizations 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 115 hospitalizations within the state, 86 have been on Oahu, 25 on Maui, three on Hawaii island, and one for Kauai.
By county, Honolulu has seen 525 patients released from isolation, and Maui has had 115 patients released. Kauai has 17 active infections, while the Big Island has two.
Of the more than 81,618 coronavirus tests conducted so far by state and clinical laboratories in Hawaii, nearly 1.2% have been positive. Health officials counted 959 new test results in today’s tally.
After a relatively mild May with only 46 new cases reported, Hawaii had 295 new confirmed cases reported in June.
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