HONOLULU — The number of new COVID-19 cases in Honolulu has surged nearly fivefold in the past two weeks, according to data from the Hawaii state Department of Health.
Oahu recorded a seven-day average of 251 cases on Friday, compared to 53 cases on Dec. 2. Other islands have also experienced more cases but not as many.
“We are seeing an alarming increase in the number of cases, ” Gov. David Ige said at a news conference.
Dr. Libby Char, the health department’s director, said gatherings over Thanksgiving were a factor, as was an increase in holiday travel and people taking their masks off to eat in indoor settings.
The arrival in Hawaii of the omicron variant, which Char said appears to be more transmissible than prior mutations, was another.
As of Dec. 4, 5% of Oahu’s cases were of the omicron variety and the department has identified additional suspect cases since. So far omicron cases haven’t been detected on other islands but Char said it was inevitable they will be.
Char said omicron was likely to become the dominant variant in Hawaii early next year, based on how the mutation has behaved in the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Both the delta and omicron variants were behind the current growth in cases in the state, she said.
Ige said he would be meeting with the state’s mayors to discussion COVID-19 protocols. He said he didn’t plan to change the state’s Safe Travels program, which requires incoming travelers wanting to avoid 10 days of quarantine to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure for Hawaii.
Char said while omicron appears to be less virulent than other mutations, Hawaii may experience even more hospitalizations than earlier phases of the pandemic because the greater ease of transmissions may lead more people to get sick.
“Don’t be fooled into thinking that it won’t affect our hospitals and our families,” she said.
Ige noted hospitalizations tend to rise about 10 days after case numbers. He the state’s hospitals have lately had about 30 to 40 COVID patients. That’s far below the peak of more than 400 marked during the summer when the delta variant fueled a surge of cases.
Char urged people to get vaccinated. She recommended those who received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than six months ago to get a third shot.
“Please go get a booster shot. Don’t wait. Go get it now,” Char said. She reminded people to wear masks and keep their distance from others. She said gatherings should be small and large groups should meet outdoors and in well-ventilated places.
A posting on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website that was updated on Thursday said the omicron variant will likely spread more easily than the original COVID-19 virus but it’s unknown how easily it spreads compared to delta.
