First Patient Dies of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i, DOH Says

Wikipedia image.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health announced 20 new cases of coronavirus confirmed overnight, bringing the statewide total to 224, including the state’s first death as a result of the infection.

DOH announced the news as part of a graphic on its website. No details were immediately available regarding the fatality, but health officials planned a press conference for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Of the 20 positive test results, 18 were linked to patients on O‘ahu. The Big Island held steady at 15 cases, according to DOH numbers, with no new COVID-19 positives identified overnight. The Hawai‘i County Civil Defense tally had the Big Island’s number at 17 confirmed cases as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, with five of those patients confirmed recovered.

The DOH county-by-county breakdown is as follows:

• O‘ahu: 157 (18)
• Maui: 25 (0)
• Hawai‘i: 15 (0)
• Kaua‘i: 12 (0)
• Pending: 13 (2)
• Out-of-State Diagnoses: 2 (0)

As of noon Tuesday, 13 people had been hospitalized as a result of coronavirus infection, including one new patient overnight. Of the 224 diagnosed with the virus in Hawai‘i, DOH classified 58 as recovered.