August 2020

Death Toll Rises to 31 After Passing of Two O‘ahu Men HONOLULU – All but one (1) of the 201 newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases, reported by the Dept. of Health (DOH) today, is from O‘ahu. Maui has a single new case. Health Director Bruce Anderson said, “Unfortunately, projections for increases in COVID case and ICU bed utilization are being realized.” Many of the Intensive Care Units on O‘ahu are full or close to full and hospitals are surging, transferring patients, and opening new units to handle new patients. ICU bed use on the Neighbor Islands has not changed significantly [...]

HONOLULU – With COVID-19 infections seeing large spikes on O‘ahu, some of Hawai‘i’s best- known musicians and artists are sharing “mask wearing” messages, particularly with younger audiences who may be disinclined to consistently adhere to safe practices. Produced by the Hawai‘i Department of Defense, the public service announcements feature the ladies of the Hawaiian musical group Na Waiho‘olu‘u o ke Anuenue, Kumu Hula Robert Cazimero, ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro and Hawaiian artist Brook Parker. All of the participants were very excited to participate in this campaign because they are going through the pandemic too. The themes and messages in [...]

HONOLULU – Two O‘ahu residents are the 28th and 29th casualties of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i. An elderly female, with underlying medical conditions, had been a resident at a Pearl City nursing home, but then was hospitalized. An elderly man, also with underlying health issues, was also in the hospital when he died. State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said, “The passing of this man really demonstrates how rapidly and invisibly COVID-19 is spreading through our communities, particularly on O‘ahu and particularly associated with clusters. A close contact of this individual attended a spin class at a gym taught by a [...]

HONOLULU – With the high number of positive COVID-19 cases in the state, the Hawai‘i Department of Health will be introducing new metrics to assist in decision-making and to better track and manage the disease with a higher degree of accountability, announced Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson. The new metrics will augment existing metrics to assess the impact of policy changes and as a way for policymakers and the public to track the course of the outbreak. The Department of Health will use these metrics to enhance the current dashboard to effectively evaluate the four pillars of the public [...]

Honolulu Man, 40-59 Years-Old is Latest COVID-19 Casualty HONOLULU – The Honolulu Medical Examiner reported the death of a Honolulu man to the Dept. of Health, who had tested positive for COVID-19. The man was in the 40 to 59-year-old age group and he had underlying medical conditions. An investigation into his cause of death continues, and it is recorded as the 27th COVID-19 death in Hawai‘i since the beginning of the pandemic. Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson stated, “We all extend our condolences to the family and friends of this man. Every death reminds us how very serious [...]

HONOLULU – The highest, single-day record of new positive COVID-19 cases is being reported by the Dept. of Health today, at 207. Approximately 114 of these cases are the result of delayed reporting over the weekend, a result of private clinical laboratory reporting issues. Health Director Bruce Anderson said, “It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to detail all of the situations in which people are becoming infected with coronavirus. It runs the whole gamut of hanging out with close friends, socializing in bars, attending religious events and funerals, and many other types other social gatherings. This virus does not discriminate [...]