The Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard for Monday, August 10, at 7:35 a.m.:

Worldwide cases: 19,936,547    Worldwide deaths: 732,467

U.S. cases: 5,063,770      U.S. deaths: 163,156

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide cases increased by 239,586 in the last 24 hours.  The worldwide death toll in the past two days increased by 4,483.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 41,583 cases in the last 24 hours, and reported deaths attributed to COVID-19 have increased by 460.  The country has seen a steady climb in cases and deaths, and testing continues to be a challenge in many states–getting the test, and then getting the results back in a timely fashion.  Cases on the mainland do appear to be stabilizing, though still increasing daily.

As of Sunday, Hawaii had 3,498 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 1,919 active cases. The state has lost 31 people to COVID-19.  The positivity rate of people tested for COVID-19 has climbed up in the past few weeks.  The state’s overall positivity rate was below 2% until recently, when some days of testing were showing 4%, 5%, or higher.  Lt. Gov. Josh Green said over the weekend the most recent tests were testing at 7% positive.   Health officials say this is a sign of widespread community transmission.  They also say the only way to stem the tide is for everybody to practice the well-known deterrents to COVID-19:  mask wearing, hand washing, and staying at least 6 feet away from others in groups.

The biggest concern for the state is hospital capacity, and last week State Health Director Bruce Anderson said O’ahu ICU beds could be full by the end of the month if the disease count continues to rise.

On Sunday, the State Department of Health reported that Hawaii Island had 15 active cases of COVID-19, with 131 cumulative.

Gov. David Ige announced last Thursday that a partial 14-day interisland travel quarantine returns tomorrow, Tuesday August 11.  Those traveling to any neighbor island (not O’ahu) will be subject to the quarantine.  In an interview recorded on Sunday, Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim told New West Broadcasting’s Sherry Bracken that the Counties have been given the responsibility to set up procedures for granting exemptions to the travel quarantine.  Click here to hear that discussion.