The Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard for Thursday, August 20, at 6:27 a.m.:
Worldwide cases: 22,486,892 Worldwide deaths: 789,222
U.S. cases: 5,545,427 U.S. deaths: 173,514
According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide case report increased by 281,513 in the last 24 hours. Deaths worldwide increased by more than 6,781.
According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 48,148 cases in the last 23 hours. In that time, the number of reported deaths from COVID-19 increased by 1,405.
Hawaii’s case count continues to rise. As of Wednesday, the state had 3,590 active cases, with 26 of these on the Big Island, according to State Department of Health. At a Wednesday press briefing, State Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson said the island’s most recent cases –7 new yesterday–were mostly in Hilo, with 2 in the south part of the island.
The state has had 43 people die from COVID-19.
The State continues to get criticism for its lack of contact tracing from health professionals, community leaders, and state and U.S. elected officials–including California Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, who heads the US House Committee responsible for tracking funding given to the states for COVID-19 relief. In a discussion with New West Broadcasting’s Island Conversation host Sherry Bracken Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Rep Tulsi Gabbard said Congresswoman Eshoo has written a letter to Gov. David Ige asking for an accounting of $50 million given to the state for contact tracing and testing.
In an interview with Hawaii News Now, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz has also expressed concern over his team’s inability to find out what the state has done with the money.
In Wednesday’s briefing, Anderson said the state spent $2.5 million on setting up a contact tracing program through University of Hawaii, which so far has turned out more than 400 contact tracers–few of whom appear to have been hired or used by the state. Anderson said much of the rest will go towards improving the Hawaii State Laboratory’s capability over the next 30 months.
