Hawaii News Now

Crews are shutting down the H-3 Freeway for a massive coronavirus drive-thru test that will take up most of the day. Plus, two state leaders are being replaced amid scrutiny over the state's COVID-19 response.

Top stories from across Hawaii and around the world, as seen on the 5 p.m. news broadcast from Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii reported seven new COVID-19 fatalities on Monday — five on Oahu and two on the Big Island — in the deadliest day for the state since the pandemic began.

The new fatalities bring the death toll from the virus in the islands to 70. This month alone, 44 coronavirus deaths have been reported. The previous single-day high for COVID-19 deaths was four.

The state did not release any additional details on the new fatalities.

The two Big Island deaths were residents at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo, where 27 residents and 10 workers have tested positive for the virus so far.

Hawaii News Now has also learned of a third fatality at the facility, which was reported to the Health Department on Monday morning but was not included in the daily count.

Meanwhile, 133 new coronavirus cases were reported statewide. Of those, 105 were on Oahu, 24 were on the Big Island, one was on Maui and one was a resident diagnosed out-of-state.

The new cases push the statewide total for infections since the pandemic began to 8,472. Some 5,800 cases remain “active,” meaning they haven’t yet been released from isolation.

A man was taken to the hospital in critical condition following an early-morning crash on Kapahulu Avenue. Plus, roughly 1,000 people will need to be retested for coronavirus on Oahu due to a labeling mishap.

Top stories from across Hawaii and around the world, as seen on the 5 p.m. news broadcast from Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii reported four more COVID-19 fatalities once again Friday, pushing the statewide death toll to 59.

Meanwhile, the state also reported 265 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 7,830.

Of the new cases, 233 were on Oahu, 26 on Hawaii Island and six on Maui.

The new triple-digit increase comes as Oahu undergoes a federally-backed mass testing program that officials say could lead to even more positive cases being reported in the coming weeks.

The testing, coupled with a new stay-at-home order on Oahu, are part of drastic measures to rein in the surge of COVID-19 cases.

The CDC is releasing a new projection about how the pandemic could pan out in the U.S. and in Hawaii. Plus, as COVID-19 cases spike again, a large union in Hawaii is blasting state leaders.

Hawaii on Thursday reported four new coronavirus fatalities, the highest daily number of deaths so far since the pandemic began.

The new fatalities bring the statewide death toll to 55.

Meanwhile, Hawaii also reported 306 new coronavirus cases, pushing the total number of infections to 7,566.

Of the new cases, 289 were on Oahu, 10 on Hawaii Island and seven on Maui.

The latest triple-digit increase in new COVID-19 infections comes as a stay-at-home order goes into effect on Oahu to slow the spread of the virus.

The order closes non-essential businesses for two weeks.

Oahu's stay-at-home order is now in effect. Also, Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana overnight.

Gov. David Ige has officially signed off on a new stay-at-home order that will now be in effect for Oahu residents by 12:01 a.m. Thursday morning.