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Hawaii records 27th coronavirus-related death and another triple-digit increase in cases

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                State Department of Health director Bruce Anderson is pictured at the Hawaii State Capitol Monday.
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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

State Department of Health director Bruce Anderson is pictured at the Hawaii State Capitol Monday.

The state Department of Health today announced Hawaii’s 27th coronavirus-related death, a Honolulu man between 40 and 59-years-old who had underlying medical conditions.

Officials said the Honolulu Medical Examiner reported the death of the man, who had tested positive for COVID-19, to the Health Department. The man died July 29. An investigation into his cause of death continues, they said.

“We all extend our condolences to the family and friends of this man,” said Health Director Bruce Anderson in a news release. “Every death reminds us how very serious this disease is. Coronavirus can strike down anyone of any age. We can all protect each other and prevent more hospitalizations and deaths.”

The department also reported another day of triple-digit coronavirus infections today, 144 new cases, with 139 on Oahu and five on Hawaii island.

The new daily total brings the statewide total to 2,591 since the start of the outbreak in Hawaii in late February, with one Oahu case removed from today’s tally due to updated data, officials said.

Health officials said it is not the time for Hawaii to let its guard down, and noted several clusters that are under investigation, including:

>> 71 cases linked to a series of funeral events;

>> Six cases linked to a hot yoga class;

>> 12 cases associated with a birthday party;

>> Multiple household and other clusters associated with social interactions.

Health officials noted that 24 of today’s newly diagnosed cases are the result of community spread, two are travel-related, and 118 cases are still under investigation.

Twenty of Hawaii’s coronavirus-related death have been on Oahu, six on Maui, and one Kauai resident who died outside the state.

Today’s statewide coronavirus case total includes 2,221 on Oahu, 178 in Maui County, 122 on Hawaii island, and 47 in Kauai County, according to health officials. The total also includes 23 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.

On Monday, officials announced a record 207 new COVID-19 cases but said 114 of these cases are the result of delayed reporting of cases from this weekend.

Officials counted 1,814 new tests in today’s tally, with the 144 new cases representing nearly 8% of the total tested. Of the 132,526 coronavirus tests conducted so far by state and clinical laboratories in Hawaii as of today, nearly 2% have been positive.

As of today, 1,210 infections in Hawaii are known to be active cases, with a total of 1,354 patients now classified by health officials as “released from isolation,” or about 52% of those infected. The category counts those infected people who have met the criteria for being released from isolation. Thirty-nine new release cases — 34 on Oahu and five on Maui — were reported today.

>> RELATED: 30,000 Hawaii workers may have opted out of job market in July

Of all the confirmed Hawaii cases since the start of the outbreak, 208 have required hospitalizations, with seven new hospitalizations on Oahu reported today, health officials said.

Lt. Gov. Josh Green said today that 138 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized in Hawaii, with more than 15 patients in intensive care units and more than 10 on ventilators.

Two hospitalizations in the statewide count are Hawaii residents who were diagnosed and treated outside the state. Of the 206 hospitalizations within the state, 175 have been on Oahu, 26 on Maui, four on Hawaii island, and one on Kauai.

By county, Honolulu has seen 1,057 patients released from isolation, and Maui has had 138 patients released. Hawaii County has seven active infections, while Kauai has two, according to Health Department figures.

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