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DENNIS ODA / JUNE 28
Fishermen practice social distancing at Ala Moana Beach Park.
Today marked the state’s highest surge of new coronavirus cases since the outbreak began.
Hawaii health officials reported 42 new confirmed coronavirus cases today, bringing the statewide total number of infections since the start of the outbreak to 1,200. July 7 was previously the state’s highest count with 41 new cases.
Today’s new cases include 38 on Oahu, two each on the Big Island and Maui County.
Hawaii Department of Health officials have not yet revealed the sources of today’s new infections, but on Friday they announced that contact tracing uncovered 17 coronavirus cases so far involving two unnamed Oahu commercial gym facilities.
As of today, 309 infections in Hawaii are active cases, with a total of 872 patients now classified by health officials as “released from isolation.” Twenty-five new release cases were reported today. The category counts those infected people who have met the criteria for being released from isolation.
This week, Gov. David Ige and the four county mayors discussed a possible delay to the governor’s plan to allow travelers who test negative for COVID-19 to forego the 14-day quarantine for trans-Pacific arrivals, starting Aug 1. The reassessment of Ige’s plan comes after a surge in infection cases both locally and on many states on the mainland in recent weeks.
California is recording an average of 91 reported deaths per day, while Texas is close behind with 66. Other states including Arizona, Illinois, Florida and South Carolina also saw recent jumps. The virus has killed more than 130,000 people in the U.S. and more than a half-million worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Hawaii’s coronavirus death toll remains at 19. Thirteen of the deaths have been on Oahu and six on Maui.
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Ige’s decision to reopen Hawaii tourism has not yet been announced, but he released an emailed statement on Friday: “We are assessing the current situation in Hawaiʻi and on the mainland, and we’ll make an announcement when we are satisfied that the plans will protect the health and safety of our residents and guests.”
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Today’s statewide coronavirus case total includes 905 on Oahu, 133 in Maui County, 100 on Hawaii island, and 43 in Kauai County, according to health officials. The total also includes 19 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.
Of all the confirmed Hawaii cases since the start of the outbreak, 125 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. Of the 124 hospitalizations within the state, 95 have been on Oahu, 25 on Maui, three on Hawaii island, and one on Kauai.
By county, Honolulu has seen 627 patients released from isolation, and Maui has had 118 patients released. Hawaii island has eight active infections, and Kauai County has six, according to the state Health Department.
Of the 93,920 coronavirus tests conducted so far by state and clinical laboratories in Hawaii, just over 1.2% have been positive.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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