HONOLUULU (KHON2) — This week marks two years of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaii.
On March 3, 2020 Gov. David Ige issued an emergency proclamation when the state of Hawaii had 0 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state.
On March 6, 2020, Department of Health officials made the announcement about the first positive coronavirus case in the islands.
A KHON2 report on March 6, 2020, showed the streets of Waikiki still packed with tourists.
Later that month on March 22, 2020, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced the stay at home, work from home order.
Then Gov. David Ige’s emergency proclamation that mandated a 14-day quarantine for all incoming travelers to the State of Hawaii went into effect on March 26.
Since then, Hawaii has recorded 236,983 positive cases, administered 3,540,522 tests and had more than 1,300 COVID deaths. The current positivity rate is 2.5% and the fatality rate is .6%.
With less and less people contracting and spreading the virus it has left room for the government to ease their current COVID restrictions.
Safe Access Oahu will expire after 11:59 p.m. Saturday, March 5, and there will be no further COVID restrictions for the city according to Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
The decision has been made to not extend Gov. Ige’s emergency proclamation, which includes the state’s indoor mask and vaccine mandate. For city and state workers, it will ultimately be up to the governor and the Hawaii Department of Health.
The Hawaii Department of Health said they are picking up positive momentum in the pandemic.
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