Hawaii reports 2 coronavirus-related deaths and 66 new cases statewide; Less than 800 new COVID-19 tests counted

As a result of fewer COVID-19 tests counted over the Labor Day holiday, the Hawaii Department of Health today reported double digits in new cases — the first time in more than a month after triple digit increases for most of August and early September. The state reported 45 cases on Aug. 2 and a record high of 355 cases on Aug. 13.

Health officials today recorded two new coronavirus-related deaths and 66 new infections, bringing the statewide totals since the beginning of the pandemic to 88 fatalities and 10,025 cases.

The latest deaths included an Oahu man in his 60s and a Maui woman over the age of 80, both of whom were hospitalized before they died. State health officials have yet to count the latest Hawaii County deaths at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in the statewide fatality total due to a pending verification process.

A total of 75 deaths have been on Oahu, nine on Maui, three on the Big Island, while one was a Kauai resident who died on the mainland. The U.S. death toll is over 189,000 today.

The total new cases today included 58 on Oahu, six on Hawaii island and two in Maui County.

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As of today, 6,874 infections are considered active cases statewide, with a total of 3,063 patients now classified by health officials as “released from isolation,” or about 30% of those infected. The category counts those infected people who have met the criteria for being released from isolation. Thirty-five new release cases — 31 on Oahu, three in Hawaii County and one in Maui County — were reported today.

Today’s total coronavirus cases by county since the start of the outbreak included 9,058 on Oahu, 523 in Hawaii County, 360 in Maui County, and 58 in Kauai County. There are also 26 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.

Hawaii’s run of triple-digit increases in daily new COVID-19 cases in August prompted state, city and federal government to partner in a free surge testing program on Oahu to administer tests to 90,000 people over roughly three weeks. Go to doIneedacovid19test.com for more information.

Officials counted far fewer tests than typical — 774 new tests in today’s tally, with today’s 66 positive cases representing 8% of the total tested. Of the 237,786 coronavirus tests conducted so far by state and clinical laboratories in Hawaii since the start of the outbreak, a total of 4.2% have been positive. No surge tests were reported, health officials said.

Of all the confirmed Hawaii cases, 599 have required hospitalizations, with one new hospitalization on Oahu reported today, health officials said.

Lt. Gov. Josh Green said today there are now 583 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in Hawaii hospitals, with 47 of them in intensive care units and 29 on ventilators. He said that 147, or 60%, of the state’s 244 ICU beds, and 82, or 18%, of Hawaii’s 459 ventilators are now in use, by both coronavirus and non-virus patients.

Two hospitalizations in the statewide count are Hawaii residents who were diagnosed and treated outside the state. Of the 597 hospitalizations within the state, 530 have been on Oahu, 45 on Maui, 21 on Hawaii island, and one on Kauai.

By county, Honolulu has seen 2,569 patients released from isolation, Hawaii County has had 230 released, Maui has seen 208 patients released, and Kauai has had 56 patients released.

This breaking news story will be updated again.