News & Updates
Ongoing and Comprehensive Information Key to Reopening Hawaii
More importantly, some communities reported higher rates of COVID-19 related symptoms compared to their response rate (e.g. Waianae and Maui)—an indication that these communities may require additional information and resources to mitigate the impacts of the virus. Conversely, communities with lower reported symptoms relative to their response rate may have greater access to information that is helping to protect its citizens (e.g. East Honolulu).
COVID-19 Highlights Vulnerabilities of Rural Hawaii
After an initial delay, cases in rural communities have climbed throughout the country. On March 6, COVID-19 first emerged in Hawaii on its most densely populated island of Oahu. Cases followed in mid-March and early April on the state’s neighbor islands, home to the Hawaii’s more rural areas. As of April 19, 2020, Hawaii Island reported 62 COVID-19 cases; Maui (including Molokai), 106 cases; and Kauai, 21 cases, compared to Oahu’s 385. Although the majority of cases in the state remain on Oahu, the slow and steady growth of confirmed COVID-19 infections on neighbor islands confirms that they are susceptible to the disease as well.