Today is the first day of summer and the Fourth of July is two weeks away. People want to gather, but Hawaii is still far from the 70% vaccination level required to fully reopen.
Visitors are back and so are Hawaii residents who have traveled. At least one Hawaii resident, who returned from Nevada, was infected with the Delta variant, a highly virulent and more deadly strain that has killed 383,490 in India and which could become the dominant strain in the United States, raising calls for more people to get vaccinated.
Of Hawaii’s total population, 56% of people are now fully vaccinated. The number of cumulative doses administered is 1,637,582, up by 9,781 additional doses administered Friday from Thursday, according to data released Saturday by the state Department of Health.
The Health Department reported Saturday one new COVID-19-related death on Oahu and 70 new confirmed and probable infections statewide.
Hawaii island has the highest number of new cases, with 25 of its 30 cases associated with Hawaii Community Correctional Center inmates. There have also been travel and community spread cases.
“Many of the current cases are unvaccinated persons in our community,” the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said in a news release. “Because of this, as travel restrictions are lifted, it is important to continue following the mandates of wearing face coverings while indoors, distancing and limiting gatherings to 10 persons indoors and 25 outdoors.”
Here is the island-by-island breakdown of new cases: Hawaii island, 30; Oahu, 25; Maui, seven; Kauai, two; and six residents were diagnosed outside the state.
That brings the pandemic totals to 511 people dead and 37,284 cases.
The good news is the positivity rate for the last seven days has been falling and was at .9% with an average daily rate of 38 new cases. That’s a 24% drop within the last 14 days.
Rates by county are as follows: Hawaii County, 2% with an average eight new cases; Honolulu, .9% with an average 20 new cases; Kauai, 1.4% with an average two cases; and Maui, 1.3% with an average eight new cases.
The Health Department said the Delta variant was detected in a specimen from a fully vaccinated Oahu resident who traveled to Nevada in early May and had a negative test before returning to Hawaii.
After returning home, the individual developed mild symptoms and was tested. The Health Department said there was no evidence the person passed the virus on. Household members and close contacts were quarantined.
Besides the Delta variant, five variants of concern are present in Hawaii — two that emerged in California, the others in the U.K., Brazil and South Africa.
The Honolulu Fire Department had good success at its mobile vaccination pods set up Saturday at SALT at Our Kakaako, Waipio Shopping Center, Kaiaka Bay Beach Park and Windward Mall.
HFD’s healthcare partners administered free Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. By 4 p.m., 316 people were vaccinated at the four sites.
Walk-in mass vaccination sites open today:
>> Pier 2 Vaccine Clinic: Hawaii Pacific Health, open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
>> Blaisdell Concert Hall: Queen’s Health Systems, open daily 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Tuesdays.
By appointment only:
>> Queen’s West Oahu Vaccination Center, call vaccination line 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 691-2222
>> Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, at various sites on the Waianae Coast, call 427-3659.
>> Kahuku Medical Center, call 293-6230.