The State Department of Health has announced that Hawaii has suffered 3 more deaths due to COVID-19.  That brings the state’s death toll from COVID-19 to 22.  One patient was in Arizona, and two were here in the state.  State DOH said all the patients were elderly.

The State says that today, there are 23 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the State’s total to 1,243.

Governor David Ige today in a briefing before the State House Select Committee on COVID-19 said there are 311 active cases of COVID-19 being monitored by the State Department of Health.  Amid concerns over the State being able to adequately “contact trace” for new cases, Gov. Ige said he expect the State DOH to have around 400 contact tracers hired by the end of the month.

The new case count includes 1 on the Big Island, 1 in Maui County, 2 out of state, and 19 on Maui County.  According to State DOH, the Big Island has 10 active cases.  DOH did not release any information about the location or source of the cases (community spread, people returning from travel or close to those who had traveled).   However, Kona Community Hospital  reports that one of its employees has tested positive, as of last Friday.  “Per hospital protocols, nursing is in the process of tracking and testing any employees who may have been in contact with the staff member,” said Interim Chief Nurse Officer Stephanie Irwin, RN, MSN.

The Governor in the morning briefing said he and the Mayors are meeting again today to discuss the details of how and when to reopen the state to interisland travel, with the intent being to have pre-travel testing to eliminate the 14-day quarantine.  Wendy Laros from the Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce and Sherry Menor McNamara of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce (statewide) urged the Governor to set a date and provide details as visitors, having heard about the initial planned date of reopening as August 1, have already made reservations.

The State DOH’s island-by-island report is below: