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Hawaii reports 73 new coronavirus cases as the statewide tally rises to 31,561

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / APRIL 19
                                Pedestrians wearing masks stroll Tamarind Park in downtown Honolulu.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / APRIL 19

Pedestrians wearing masks stroll Tamarind Park in downtown Honolulu.

Hawaii Department of Health officials today reported 73 new coronavirus infections statewide, bringing the state’s total since the start of the pandemic to 31,561 cases.

State health officials reported no new coronavirus-related deaths as the statewide death toll remains at 474.

The state’s official coronavirus-related death toll includes 370 fatalities on Oahu, 53 on Hawaii island, 47 on Maui, one on Kauai, and three Hawaii residents who died outside the state.

The U.S. coronavirus-related death toll today is about 569,000 and the nationwide infection tally is more than 31.8 million.

Today’s new statewide infection cases include 45 on Oahu, 15 on Maui, six on Hawaii island, three on Kauai, one on Molokai and three Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state, according to health officials. As a result of updated information, state health officials removed two cases from the counts.

The statistics released today reflect the new infection cases reported to the department on Monday.

The total number of coronavirus cases by island since the start of the outbreak are 24,253 on Oahu, 3,285 on Maui, 2,651 in Hawaii County, 203 on Kauai, 111 on Lanai and 36 on Molokai. There are also 1,022 Hawaii residents who were diagnosed outside of the state.

Health officials also said today that of the state’s total infection count, 1,161 cases were considered to be active. Officials say they consider infections reported in the past 14 days to be a “proxy number for active cases.” The number of active cases in the state decreased by five today.

By island, Oahu has 790 active cases, Maui has 260, the Big Island has 104, Kauai has five and Molokai has two.

Health officials counted 5,296 new COVID-19 test results in today’s tally, for a 1.38% statewide positivity rate. The state’s 7-day average positivity rate is also 1.6%, according to the Hawaii COVID-19 Data dashboard.

The Hawaii COVID-19 vaccine summary said that 1,087,674 vaccine doses have been administered through state and federal distribution programs as of today. More than 35% of Hawaii’s population have received at least one dose through the state vaccine system, but that figure does not include those vaccinated through the federal programs.

Of all the confirmed Hawaii infection cases, 2,088 have required hospitalizations, with two hospitalizations reported today by state health officials.

Eight hospitalizations in the statewide count are Hawaii residents who were diagnosed and treated outside the state. Of the 2,080 hospitalizations within the state, 1,756 have been on Oahu, 196 on Maui, 113 on the Big Island, nine on Kauai, five on Lanai and one on Molokai.

According to the latest information from the department’s Hawaii COVID-19 Data dashboard, a total of 40 patients with the virus were in Hawaii hospitals as of this morning, with six in intensive care units and two on ventilators.

Oahu moved into the less-restrictive Tier 3 of the city’s four-tier economic recovery plan on Feb. 25 after being in Tier 2 since Oct. 22. Tier 3 permits social and outdoor recreational gatherings of up to 10 people, and restaurants to seat 10 people at a table. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi on March 11 announced modifications to Tier 3, including allowing bars to reopen under the same conditions as restaurants and extending the curfew until midnight.

Honolulu will remain in Tier 3 of the city’s COVID-19 reopening framework until at least May 5.

Today’s seven-day average case count for Oahu is 55 and the seven-day average positivity rate is 2.0%, according to the mayor.

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