The state Department of Health reported 18 new COVID-19 cases today, 15 on Oahu, with the location of the other three under investigation, bringing the statewide case total to 762.
The City and County of Honolulu now has 523 reported cases.
Hawaii County’s total is at 83 cases with 81 released from isolation as recovered. Two Big Island case required hospitalization.
Maui County has 120 reported cases, while Kauai County’s case count is 21.
Hawaii’s statewide case total includes 12 residents diagnosed outside the state.
“This spike in cases and other recent daily spikes have been expected as people begin to move around more freely and more businesses are reopening,” said Dr. Sarah Park, state epidemiologist. “It’s important to point out, that the vast majority of the cases we’re seeing in the state are being spread by what we call community-associated infection. Only a handful of recent cases have been detected in travelers, known as travel-associated infection.”
The statewide death toll from coronavirus-related illness remains at 17, with 11 on Oahu and six on Maui.
The number of statewide cases requiring hospitalization is 95.
There have been 640 cases statewide that have been released from isolation as recovered, according to DOH.
One of the new cases was an employee of the House Majority Staff Office at the state Capitol in Honolulu, according to House Speaker Scott Saiki.
“The staff member and all HMSO staff were immediately excused to work from home,” Saiki said, and added the House is “working closely with Dr. Sarah Park and the Department of Health on contact tracing of HMSO employees.”
House leaders say the person wore a mask at work and stayed home when symptoms first developed, so the risk of infection to others is low. The state legislature is scheduled to go back into session next Monday, June 22, though the State Capitol will remain closed to the public.
“The House is committed to ensuring the safety and health of all legislators and employees at the Capitol,” Saiki said. “We will continue enforcing safe practices including social distancing, daily temperature screenings by National Guard members, and modified work procedures.”
At the Hale Nani Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Oahu, a cluster totaling 10 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed. Two are workers at the facility and the other eight are residents. Hale Nani implemented aggressive infection control measures as an immediate response to the initial case. Active monitoring and repeat testing is being performed, as recommended by DOH, for all residents and staff. So far 307 tests of staff have come back negative. All but one of the cases identified at the facility, to date, are in people who reside in or work on a single unit.
“When there has been exposure in a health care setting like this, resulting increase in infections are possible and unfortunate, but not unexpected,” said Dr. Sarah Kemble, deputy state epidemiologist. “We could continue to see a number of new cases over the next two weeks.”
