Hawaii News Now

Hawaii is reporting one new COVID-19 case — on the Big Island — on Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to 644.

The case breaks a three-day streak with no new COVID-19 cases.

So far, 600 people statewide have been released from isolation, while at least 83 required hospitalization. Seventeen people in Hawaii have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Latin America is seeing more new, daily coronavirus infections than the U.S. Plus, in Hawaii, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is now asking the governor for approval to move up the date to reopen certain medium-risk businesses on Oahu.

5 p.m. Newscast (May 26, 2020) by Hawaii News Now

As the governor seeks to reboot Hawaii’s economy, the question of how to reopen tourism safely remains unanswered.

The state is ramping up efforts to screen incoming arrivals and brainstorming other possible ways to keep coronavirus out as tourism picks up, including requiring that visitors be tested to avoid quarantine.

But when Hawaii once again opens to tourism, how many will actually come?

New state projections indicate the answer to that question is: At first, not many.

The state Department of Businesses and Economic Development is projecting that the visitor industry in the islands won’t open in earnest until September, and that visitor arrivals for 2020 will top out at 3.4 million.

That’s a level of tourism not seen seen the late 1970s — Hawaii saw 3.9 million visitors in 1980 — and a decrease of 67.5% from 2019, when Hawaii saw more than 10 million visitors.

In a new economic outlook, the state is also projecting that tourism recovery will be painstakingly slow.

The coronavirus death toll in the U.S. is approaching 100,000. This comes as many ventured out over the holiday weekend without masks.

Kumu hula Carolee Nishi started making Memorial Day lei more than 20 years ago. Even though there's no big ceremonies, she says carrying on this tradition is more important than ever.

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

Ashley and Jonathan report from Kauai, where Mayor Derek Kawakami has decided to let more businesses reopen. Get the latest local, national and international headlines in our daily digital shortcast.

An investigation is underway following a deadly plane crash in Pakistan. Plus, the CDC has updated its guidelines on how the coronavirus is transmitted.

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