Hawaii records 3 new deaths and 140 new coronavirus cases as statewide tally rises to 3,638

Shortly after Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced a cluster of cases and mass testing at Honolulu Hale, state health officials today reported 140 new coronavirus cases — most of them on Oahu — along with the deaths of three Oahu residents.

Hawaii Department of Health officials are investigating the deaths of an elderly female and two elderly men, including one man with underlying health conditions.

The state’s coronavirus-related death toll is now at 34. One death, involving a Pearl City Nursing Home patient, was removed from the count last week and there have been no reported deaths at nursing homes to date, officials said. The previous 24 coronavirus-related deaths have been on Oahu, six on Maui, and one was a Kauai resident who died on the mainland. Over 163,000 people in the U.S. have died from the virus thus far.

Today’s new COVID-19 cases include 138 on Oahu, and one each on Maui and Kauai, according health officials. The statewide total since the start of the pandemic is now at 3,638.

Caldwell said today 48 city employees have tested positive for coronavirus including one postive case at his office, prompting the closure and sanitization of the building. Honolulu Hale will be closed for business starting at 4:30 p.m. today except for limited purposes such as making payments that “absolutely need to be made,” Caldwell said today.

Caldwell said all city employees on municipal grounds, including at Honolulu Hale, Mission Memorial complex and Frank Fasi grounds, will be tested for the virus.

“Sadly, we do have clusters here at the Hale, at least 9 or 10 in the Department of Budget and Fiscal Services,” Caldwell said during an afternoon press conference. “And we even have a case in my office — the mayor’s office. For that reason, we have tested everyone, including me.”

Caldwell said he plans to quarantine at home and expects to receive the test results by the end of today.

Of the 48 City and County of Honolulu employees who tested positive, city officials identified cases in the following departments:

>> 13 cases in Honolulu Fire Department;

>> 9 cases each in Budget and Fiscal Services and Honolulu Police Department;

>> 3 cases in Board of Water Supply;

>> 2 cases each in Environmental Services, Parks and Recreation, Honolulu Emergency Services Department, and Department of Community Services;

>> 1 case each in Design and Construction, Human Resources, Facility Maintenance, Clerk’s Office, Enterprise Services, and Honolulu Mayor’s Office.

>> RELATED: Hawaii’s weak contact tracing effort is hindering the control of coronavirus’ spread

Today’s statewide coronavirus case total includes 3,249 on Oahu, 186 in Maui County, 131 on Hawaii island, and 49 in Kauai County, according to health officials. The total also includes 23 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.

As of today, 2,018 infections in Hawaii are known to be active cases, with a total of 1,586 patients now classified by health officials as “released from isolation,” or about 44% of those infected. The category counts those infected people who have met the criteria for being released from isolation. Thirty eight new release cases — 35 on Oahu, two in Maui County and one on Hawaii island — were reported today.

Of all the confirmed Hawaii cases, 242 have required hospitalizations, with three new hospitalizations on Oahu reported today, health officials said. Lt. Gov. Josh Green said today there are 130 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

Two hospitalizations in the statewide count are Hawaii residents who were diagnosed and treated outside the state. Of the 240 hospitalizations within the state, 209 have been on Oahu, 26 on Maui, four on Hawaii island, and one on Kauai.

By county, Honolulu has seen 1,274 patients released from isolation, and Maui has had 149 patients released. Hawaii County has 14 active infections, while Kauai has two, according to Health Department figures.

Last week Gov. David Ige announced the reinstatement of the 14-day mandatory quarantine for interisland arrivals to all islands except Oahu, effective Tuesday.