14 New COVID-19 Cases Identified Statewide

The Hawai‘i Department of Health reports 14 new COVID-19 cases bringing the statewide total to 803.

Hawai‘i Island remains at 83 cases, with only two being active. According to the DOH, a household cluster in Kaua‘i pushed case numbers from 22 to 29 after 10 weeks of no new cases.

Additionally, there were six new cases on O‘ahu and one on Maui.

“We have investigated every case with positive test results and identified several household clusters over the last few days,” said DOH Director Bruce Anderson.

The identification of these clusters and subsequent investigations, Anderon added, resulted in the isolation and quarantine of cases and close contacts.

“These clusters reinforce the importance of maintaining safe practices, especially wearing masks and physically distancing when meeting with people outside your immediate ‘ohana,” he said. “One of the new cases reported on O‘ahu was associated with a previously confirmed case, where both people had attended a house party.”

Health experts believe much of the spike in COVID-19 cases reported over the past few days is due to Hawai‘i residents relaxing safe practices, such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks and frequent hand washing.

“It’s important to maintain physical distancing from those who don’t live in your household, but as this and other clusters demonstrate, coronavirus can be spread among people in the same household,” said State Epidemiologist Sarah Park. “We strongly urge people to take care and physically distance, no matter the setting…indoors or out, or at least wear a mask when around others outside your household.”

Case counts by county are as follows:

• Honolulu: 557
• Hawai‘i: 83
• Kaua‘i: 29
• Maui: 122