The State Department of Health’s report today is a significant increase–339 new cases of COVID-19.  The state’s total case count now is 8,991.  There are 6,227 active cases–people with COVID-19 with whom the State DOH contact tracers have to speak and find out where they may have been and with whom they may have been in contact.

One new death was reported,

Hawaii Island’s total count is 418, with 35 new cases confirmed today.  According to the State DOH, the number of active cases on the Big Island:  217.  Dr. Emily Roberson, who now heads up the contact tracing effort for the State  DOH, said in a press conference that the State Health Department has 10 contact tracers on the Big Island.   Recently employees in the State DOH in almost every other function, whether vector control or child welfare, have said they were advised they will now be doing contact tracing.  The State DOH has not confirmed this.

Hawaii County Civil Defense announced the Mayor will close County beaches and parks from this Friday through September 19, although exercising, fishing, food gathering, use of restroom, shower facilities and access to the ocean will continue to be allowed.  There are no more details on the plan at this time.  Mayor Kim has said he does not want to have a total shutdown, as that would only punish the majority of those who are adhering to the COVID-19 precautions–wearing masks, watching your distance from others, and washing hands.   He said the cases started skyrocketing on the island, more than tripling between August 1 and now, as a result of large memorial gatherings and other group gatherings, mostly at beaches.

The biggest concern is overrunning our hospitals’ capabilities to handle the cases.  Later today there will be an update from Hilo Medical Center, which has 11 patients as of yesterday.  Neither Kona Hospital nor North Hawaii Hospital had any COVID-19 patients yesterday.

Kaua’i has zero new cases.  Maui County has 2 new cases.  O’ahu has 301 new cases.

According to the State DOH, 90 of the newly reported cases are previously diagnosed cases from between August 20 and August 31,  whose reporting was delayed  as the result of an error in reporting that has subsequently been corrected. As a result of updated information, one case was re-categorized from Honolulu to Hawaii, and one case from Honolulu was removed from the counts.

The State DOH’s noon report: