Coronavirus in Hawaii: Official daily update 25 April 2020

Governor’s Office: 6^th Supplementary Proclamation Continues Stay-at-Homes Rules Until End of May

In announcing his 6^th Supplementary Proclamation this afternoon, Governor David Ige paid testament to everyone’s efforts in keeping the number of new cases of COVID-19 low this week, while recognizing that, “every loss is a sad moment for our community.” The deaths of two O‘ahu residents reported yesterday, along with 12 others previously, demonstrate the need for continued commitment and willingness to follow his social distancing mandates – to help protect those most susceptible to this serious virus, which can spread very quickly. For that reason, Governor Ige is asking everyone to remain vigilant. His 6^th Supplemental Proclamation consolidates the rules and mandates from all previous proclamations including the Stay-at-Home order and the mandatory 14-day traveler self-quarantine through May 31.

Governor Ige’s Comments on 6^th Supplementary Proclamation

At an afternoon media briefing the governor said the decision to extend rules and restrictions was not an easy one. He said, “I know this has been difficult for everyone. Businesses need to reopen. People want to end this self-imposed isolation. And we all want our lives to return to normal.” The governor noted that Hawai‘i has been fortunate to not have the high rate of coronavirus infection seen in other states. He thanked everyone for complying with the stay-at-home order, practicing social distancing, and wearing face coverings when out in public. “We are flattening the curve,” Governor Ige said. “However, my greatest fear is that if we move to reopen too quickly, we will see a sudden surge in new cases that would result in over-running our healthcare system and more deaths.” He added that with Hawai‘i being very successful in controlling the spread, he will be relaxing some aspects of the lockdown.

Key Aspects of 6^th Supplementary Proclamation

• Stay-at-Home order extended until May 31, 2020
• Mandatory 14-day traveler-quarantine order extended until May 31, 2020
• Outdoor exercise is permitted, including swimming, surfing and walking pets. In addition, running, jogging or walking on the beach will be permitted, as long as social distancing requirements are observed.
• Eviction moratorium extended until end of May

Pledge for Continued State, County, Legislative Cooperation

Governor Ige said he is working on a statewide reopening plan that will be based on facts, science and guidance from healthcare providers. The governor commented, “We will be taking a phased approved to re-opening. We hope that more measures will be relaxed before the end of May. This is only the beginning of a long, cautious process. We will be in constant discussions with the Counties, the legislature and community leadership as we develop our plans.” He indicated a key consideration is a review of industry best practices to ensure that businesses can accommodate social distancing requirements. He also emphasized collaboration with the counties. He recognized that counties need the flexibility to implement measures with consideration to the unique needs of each island’s communities. “However,” Governor Ige noted, “as was witnessed with the beach closure orders, more coordination is necessary to avoid confusion.”

County and state government agencies and the mayors have been in constant communications with the Governor’s Office and the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency throughout the COVID-19 crisis. To ensure coordinated actions, the 6^th Supplementary Proclamation directs county mayors to coordinate their proposed orders, proclamations, rules, and directives with the state. The governor stated, “The state does not want to assume county functions or take over the important tasks each county is undertaking in their respective communities. The directive is limited to coordination so that we can reduce any confusion moving forward.”

COVID-19 New Case Count at Three

Two O‘ahu residents and one resident diagnosed outside Hawai‘i brings the number of total coronavirus cases in the state to a total of 604 since Feb. 28, 2020. Note the re-categorization of one case from Maui to O‘ahu due to data review and quality control checks.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 25, 2020

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper County of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.

Laboratory* Testing Data