The Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard for Monday morning, July 13, at 7:46 a.m.:

Worldwide cases: 12,984,811      Worldwide deaths:  570,375

U.S. cases:  3,332,685       U.S. deaths:  135,379   

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide cases increased by 199,328 in the last 24  hours, and 4,165 deaths due to COVID-19 were reported.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 53,739  cases in the last 24 hours, and deaths attributed to COVID-19 have increased by 350.  The death toll is fairly stable, and doctors have pointed to the newest cases occurring in younger people who less often have serious complications requiring hospitalization or leading to death, plus better understanding of COVID-19 so the doctors have a better ability to treat the disease.

By comparison, CDC estimates that influenza (flu) was associated with more than 35.5 million illnesses, and 34,200 deaths during the 2018–2019 influenza season.   For the  2017-2018 season, the estimate by the CDC is  45 million influenza illnesses and 61,000 influenza-associated deaths.  The flu season is generally considered October through May, 8 months, with the peak usually in February.  The COVID-19 statistics are for slightly less than the 6 months the virus has been tracked in the U.S.

Hawaii has had double-digit increases in cases in the last two weeks, but Lt. Gov. Josh Green said in a Facebook post that he’s hoping that yesterday’s new case count of 21 is a sign of decreasing cases from gatherings over the July 4 weekend.  There have been several days of higher counts, in the 30s and even two days with 41 and 42 cases.  Right now, Hawaii has 1,220 cumulative cases with 890 released from isolation.  As of Sunday, July 12 at noon, State Department of Health said Hawaii Island’s cumulative case count was 101, with 11 active cases being monitored by DOH personnel.

Governor David Ige and the four county mayors have been grappling with how best to reopen the state to tourism with no 14-day travel quarantine, but no decision has been announced. Gov. Ige is thought to be ready to announce the plan early this week.