COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in Hawaii

The number of COVID-19 cases and patients hospitalized continues to rise as summer gets underway, according to the latest data from the Hawaii Department of Health.

DOH today reported an average positivity rate — or percentage of all tests positive — of 16.7%, up from 15.9% the previous week. This is a steep rise from the average positivity of just 4.3% on May 1.

In Honolulu, the average positivity was even higher than the statewide average, at 20.1%.

DOH also reported a weekly average of 127 COVID patients per day in Hawaii’s hospitals, the highest level since the summer surge last August.

An average of six COVID patients per day were in hospital intensive care units over the week.

According to DOH’s new Respiratory Disease Activity dashboard, COVID is still in the red, or high, category, indicating the virus is circulating at high levels compared to historic trends.

DOH urges the public to be vigilant during high levels of COVID activity by staying home when sick, wearing a well-fitting mask indoors with other people, staying in well-ventilated areas, and taking a test if symptomatic to seek timely treatment.

Hawaii’s latest variant report published today shows the proportion of immune-evasive “FLiRT” variants — KP.1.1, KP.2, KP.3 – continued to increase in the isles over the past month.

Hawaii’s lab has also detected the LB.1 variant, a descendant of JN.1, via genome sequencing of COVID PCR-positive test specimens collected from across the state.

No new COVID-related deaths were reported today. Hawaii’s COVID death toll since the start of the pandemic remains at 2,177.