(AP) — Hawaiʻi is seeing an uptick in the more transmissible BA.2 omicron variant. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that the state Department of Health said the variant now makes up four out of every 10 new coronavirus cases in Hawaiʻi. Health officials estimate the variant grew from 13% two weeks ago to 40% of variants circulating in the state. The state recently dropped longstanding rules that required travelers to be either fully vaccinated or show a negative test upon arrival to avoid quarantine. It was the only state to have any such travel rules. Gov. David Ige dropped Hawaiʻi’s indoor mask mandate last week, the final state in the U.S. to do so.

© copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved