Hawaii’s coronavirus cases rise to 596, up 4
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
A few people enjoy a nearly empty Kailua Beach on Monday. On Wednesday, Hawaii Health Director Bruce Anderson told state lawmakers that policymakers are considering the first steps toward reopening the state. Health officials reported just four new confirmed coronavirus cases in Hawaii today.
Hawaii’s tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 596, up four from Wednesday, state Department of Health officials said today.
The state’s coronavirus death toll stands at 12, unchanged from Wednesday.
Today’s statewide total includes 389 cases on Oahu, 112 in Maui County, 68 on Hawaii island, and 21 in Kauai County, according to health officials.
The statewide total also includes six Hawaii residents diagnosed outside of the state.
In all, state officials today reported two new cases on Maui, and one each on Oahu and Hawaii island. All of the new cases are adult Hawaii residents, officials said.
A total 455 patients have recovered since the start of the outbreak, with health officials reporting 11 new recoveries today. More than 76% of the people who have been infected in Hawaii are now classified as recovered.
By county, Honolulu has seen 337 patients recover, Maui has had 60 recoveries, the Big Island has had 39, and Kauai has seen 19, as of noon today, the Health Department says.
Of all the confirmed cases in Hawaii since the start of the outbreak, 63 have required hospitalizations, with no new hospitalizations reported today, health officials said.
Of the 63 hospitalizations, 53 have been on Oahu, nine on Maui and one on Kauai. The Health Department’s daily tally of COVID-19 cases today lists no coronavirus-related hospitalizations on the Big Island, however Kona Community Hospital officials said this morning that they had admitted the facility’s first confirmed coronavirus patient on Wednesday.
The COVID-19 Information Center said that of the 26,604 coronavirus tests so far conducted by state and clinical laboratories in the islands, 2.2%, have been positive, down from more than 2.7% last week.
On Wednesday, state Health Director Bruce Anderson told the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 that after nearly a month of stay-at-home orders and quarantine, it is becoming clear that Hawaii communities are relatively free of COVID-19, and policymakers are considering the first steps for reopening the state.
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Editor’s Note: This story is developing and will be updated as soon as more information becomes available.
