HONOLULU – The Department of Health (DOH) is enhancing the Hawai‘i COVID-19 data dashboard to include reinfections. The percentage of COVID-19 cases involving individuals who had a prior infection is growing over time and now accounts for about 10% of new confirmed cases.“The data on reinfections underscores what we have been saying; that limited immunity from previous infection only lasts so long.
Regardless of whether a person has had COVID-19 in the past, they should stay up to date on their vaccinations and boosters to get increased protection from severe illness and hospitalization,’ said State Epidemiologist Dr.
Sarah Kemble.Until now the total COVID-19 case count displayed on the dashboard represented the number of unique individuals whose positive tests had been reported to DOH.
A person who tested positive multiple times was counted once.The updated total case count published on the data dashboard today includes every confirmed positive reported to DOH since the first reinfection was recorded in September 2020 as long as the second case happened at least 90-days after the first.