Hawaii has new confirmed 134 new cases of COVID-19. This case count increase is the lowest since August 11, when the state recorded 118 new cases.  The state’s cumulative case count is 5,349, with 3,387 active cases in the state.

There was one additional death, bringing the state’s death toll to 41.  That person was an O’ahu resident.

Hawaii County added 3 cases to its count, bringing the county’s total count to 152, with 22 active cases, according to State Department of Health.

Maui County added 7, Kaua’i had no new cases, and O’ahu added 124 cases and now has around 3,264 active cases.

Because of the case count increase, yesterday the State COVID-19 Joint Information Center said Gov. David Ige and Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell met to discuss new restrictions for O’ahu, but there were no details.   Gov. Ige and Mayor Caldwell will take part in a new conference later today to discuss the measures.  State Health Director Bruce Anderson will also participate.

Monday morning, members of the State House Select Committee on COVID-19 revealed a high degree of frustration at even their inability to get enough information from the State Department of Health to develop a communication plan to help people in the state embrace the consequences of not adhere to the requirements to wear masks and avoid socializing in close proximity with others.

The State Health Department has been widely criticized for its lack of openness, especially regarding how, whether, and with how many people it is doing contact tracing.

Today in Civil Beat, an online news organization at civilbeat.org, political commentator and former University of Hawaii Political Science Professor Neal Milner notes that the lack of performance by the State Department of Health—and the Governor—is not unexpected.  He says both State Health Director Bruce Anderson and State Epidemiologist Sarah Park should lose their jobs–as well as Gov. Ige.  Click here for that commentary.

The State’s detailed report for noon, Tuesday, August 18: