The Hawaii State Department of Health’s noon COVID-19 report today adds 4 to the State’s total count, bringing it to 625, with 551 released from isolation, so 74 active cases.  The death tolls stands at 17.

Hawaii County’s case count is DOWN one from Monday, when the State reported 75 cases on the island; that case was recategorized to Honolulu.  Hawaii Island has 11 active cases. State Department of Health said on Monday that  Kona is home to 3 clusters–36 people associated with the McDonald’s in Kona, one family of four, and one family of two.  The Kona McDonald’s have now reopened after being closed for sanitation.

Today’s report comes as deaths in the United States are approaching 71,000 and total cases in the U.S.  have passed 1.2 million, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard on Tuesday at 11:32 a.m.  Businesses in all states are beginning to reopen, but most Governors and health experts say it’s important to maintain distancing, isolation as appropriate, and mask-wearing until a vaccine is available.

Governor David Ige,  Lt. Governor Josh Green, M.D., and State Director of Health Bruce Anderson say Hawaii’s COVID-19 curve is flat, with single-digit increases for several days.

Governor Ige will release his Seventh Emergency Proclamation later today, detailing how and when businesses throughout the state might reopen starting Thursday, May 7, at 12:01 a.m.   But he emphasized that people are “safer at home,” even though he is lifting the “stay at home” order.

All businesses must make provisions for employees and customers to be safe and social distance, and members of the community must ensure they also wear masks and social distance wherever they are. He said in a press conference on Tuesday that the businesses would include those such as:

-Non food agriculture, including landscaping

-Astronomy and observatory operations

-Car washes

-Pet grooming

-Health care, elective services

-Nonprofit organizations

-Retail including apparel and electronics

-Shopping malls

-Wholesale operations

-Florists

-Car dealers

-Mobile service provier

-Golf courses

-One on one services

Schools and childcare and food courts are not on the list of those Gov. Ige mentioned as being able to reopen.  Once the Governor’s Seventh Emergency Proclamation is released we will include it on this news site.

On Monday, University of Hawaii President David Lassner announced that all 10 campuses will resume on-campus classes, combined with online learning, on August 24, 2020.

Cumulative totals as of 12:00 noon on May 5, 2020

Statewide

COVID-19 Positive* Cases

*includes presumptive and confirmed cases, data are preliminary and subject to change; note that CDC provides case counts according to states of residence.

^†Isolation should be maintained until at least 3 days (72 hours) after resolution of fever and myalgia without the use of antipyretics OR at least 7 days have passed since symptom onset, whichever is longer.

^‡One case is a Lanai resident who’s exposure is on Maui Island and who will be remaining on Maui Island for the interim.

^§As a result of data cleaning, one case previously categorized as Hawaii County was re-categorized to Honolulu County.