COVID hospitalizations in Hawaii climb to their highest level since January

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Amid a continued rise in new infections, mostly among the unvaccinated, COVID hospitalizations in Hawaii reached their highest level since January.

As of Monday morning, 92 people with COVID were being treated at facilities across the state.

Of those patients, 89 were unvaccinated, health officials said.

“We have gone from about 600 active cases about three weeks ago to 2,000,” Lt. Gov. Josh Green said. “When you see that kind of increase in cases, hospitalizations follow.”

Monday also marked the 12th consecutive day the number of COVID cases in Hawaii was in triple digits.

The number of COVID patients admitted jumped more than 30% over the weekend alone. Authorities said there are 68 COVID patients hospitalized in Oahu, 15 in Maui and nine on the island of Hawaii.

Green added: “Twenty people are in the intensive care unit.”

Hilton Raethel, head of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, said the demographics of those hardest hit by the virus had changed.

“These are not people in their 70s or 80s with multiple underlying conditions,” he said. “These are healthy adults who are infected and hospitalized, and the vast majority of them are not vaccinated. “

He says that with most of the COVID restrictions lifted, hospital bed space has once again become a major concern.

“We’re operating COVID-free on a fairly comprehensive census and we’re really leveraging a lot of our capacity,” Raethel said. “COVID patients are on top of very full hospitals, which is really stressing our system. “

Green says he’s keeping a close eye on the numbers.

“If our hospitals start to overflow, to keep people alive, of course, I will always put health and survival first,” he said.

To avoid the return of new restrictions, Green urged companies to take an active role in vaccinating their employees.

“Anything you can do to get your workers to get them to get the vaccine will keep you open,” he said.

Green proposed a program that would give vaccinated people a $ 50 restaurant or grocery card. Those who brought people to the vaccination sites would also be compensated.

“If we were to do 140,000 people, it would cost $ 14 million,” Green said.

“We will save hundreds of millions of dollars in lost income because people will not be closed for no opportunities, for no wages, for unemployed people.”

If hospital capacity is too small, officials say elective surgeries could be one of the first things to be postponed.

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