Hawaii tallies record 207 new coronavirus cases after missing data over weekend deflated counts

Aug. 4--Hawaii'sDepartment of Health has counted 207 new today, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser has learned. The figure is a dramatic increase for the state but health officials said about 114 of these cases are the result of delayed reporting over the weekend.

Today, 198 of the 207 cases are from Oahu, seven on Maui and two on Hawaii island.

The new daily total beings the statewide total to 2, 448 since the start of the outbreak in Hawaii in late February with one Oahu case removed from today's total due to updated data, officials said.

"It's becoming increasingly more difficult to detail all of the situations in which people are becoming infected with coronavirus." state Health Director Bruce Anderson said in a news release. "It runs the whole gamut of hanging out with close friends, socializing in bars, attending religious events and funerals, and many other types other social gatherings. This virus does not discriminate on who it infects and the only way to prevent its spread is to limit exposure to others by using face coverings, physical distancing and avoiding gatherings and crowded places. Unfortunately, Hawaii is experiencing spikes in cases similar to many mainland states, and in most cases, we can track new infections back to those who have let down their guard. Everyone needs to take this very seriously."

Today's new-case total far surpasses the previous record of 124 Thursday, before the state reported problems with the test result data over the weekend.

With the spike in coronavirus cases, Gov. David Ige urged everyone to take action to reduce the spread of coronavirus by practicing physical distancing, wearing face masks and staying at home when they are sick.

"We can only be successful if we all take personal responsibility in reducing the transmission of COVID-19, ".

On Sunday, health officials reported 45 new coronavirus cases but noted that the daily reporting of positive COVID-19 cases was "not a complete and accurate picture due to the temporary delay in receiving complete data." They said data from Saturday and Sunday is missing from Clinical Laboratories of Hawai 'i, a private laboratory conducting most of the tests in the state, and they warned that they would need to update the count from Friday on. Saturday's new case tally was 87, after three days with over 100 infection counts reported.--RELATED :

Of the 127, 279 coronavirus tests conducted so far by state and clinical laboratories in Hawaii, about 1.7 % have been positive.

Anderson and other state health officials continued to sound the alarm about people gathering in large groups without wearing masks and physical distancing. Specifically, they said today that many beaches on Oahu were as crowded as they were before the COVID outbreak. They also noted that health investigations have traced at least one case in a person who recently attended a drum circle at Little Beach in Makena State Park. They said about 100 people were recently on the beach for sunset at Makena for the rising of the full moon, but were not wearing masks of physical distancing.

The scene here was repeated on beaches and in parks across the state, officials said.

"As long as individuals in our communities fail to accept personal responsibility for the spread of COVID-19, we are unfortunately going to see continued days of triple digit numbers, " said Anderson. "This already has resulted in the renewal of restrictions on large social gatherings and other conditions and is likely going to lead to additional ones."

"We are once again, as we have from the beginning of this crisis, asking every resident of Hawaii to take this threat with the utmost seriousness, " Anderson said. "Life, as we knew it, pre-COVID-19, cannot return to normal until we again flatten the infection curve. It takes everyone doing their part by following the simple and now-common steps : wear your mask, physically distance, wash your hands frequently and, perhaps most important, stay home if sick. With everyone's kokua, we can get back to where we were and enjoy all the good things life in Hawaii has to offer."

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