COVID-19 infections in Hawaii continue to escalate
In early August 2025, Hawaii is grappling with an upward trend in COVID-19 cases, test positivity rates, and hospitalizations. The statewide test positivity rate has risen from 10.9% in mid-July to 18.2% in early August, signaling high virus circulation[1][4]. Emergency room visits for COVID-19 also increased by 19.9% through early August, reflecting a continuing surge in severe cases requiring hospital care[3].
COVID-19 activity is currently at a medium to high level, surpassing flu and RSV in positivity rates, emergency room visits, and hospital admissions. The infections in Hawaii are growing, consistent with trends reported nationwide, where 45 states show growing transmission as of early August[3][5].
Hawaii health officials warned on July 21 that the virus was circulating at higher levels than expected and urged residents to remain vigilant[7]. In response, the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) recommends several precautions.
First and foremost, getting vaccinated is crucial. The DOH advises everyone aged 6 months and older to get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, with additional emphasis on higher-risk populations[1]. Following reasonable health precautions to reduce exposure and avoid illness is also advised.
The DOH advises Hawaii residents to stay home when sick, cover coughs, mask while infected or recovering from COVID-19 symptoms or while indoors with others, and get tested for COVID-19 to seek antiviral treatments if positive and at high risk[2].
The state Department of Health reported a test positivity rate of 16.1% on Wednesday, up from 14.3% the previous week and 12.0% the week before that[6]. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in Hawaii are also on the rise, with an average of about 60 patients a day in the past week, compared to an average of 20 a day during the second week of June[3].
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified Hawaii as "very high" based on the viral activity level of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples[4]. The Hawaii Department of Health is still updating its COVID-19 dashboard pages due to the transition to new data visualization software[8].
In conclusion, Hawaii is experiencing a notable COVID-19 surge in August 2025 with rising test positivity over 18%, increased hospitalizations, and active community transmission. Vaccination and continued vigilance are advised to mitigate the impact.
[1] Hawaiʻi Department of Health. (2025). COVID-19 Vaccine Information. Retrieved from https://hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine/ [2] Hawaiʻi Department of Health. (2025). COVID-19 Symptoms and Testing. Retrieved from https://hawaiicovid19.com/symptoms/ [3] Hawaiʻi Department of Health. (2025). COVID-19 Data Dashboard. Retrieved from https://hawaiicovid19.com/data/ [4] U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/wastewater-surveillance/index.html [5] U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). COVID-19 Transmission Map. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/ [6] Hawaiʻi News Now. (2025). Hawaii's COVID-19 test positivity rate up to 16.1%. Retrieved from https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/08/05/hawaiis-covid-19-test-positivity-rate-up-to-16-1/ [7] Hawaiʻi News Now. (2025). Hawaii officials warn of rising COVID-19 cases, urge residents to remain vigilant. Retrieved from https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/07/21/hawaii-officials-warn-rising-covid-19-cases-urge-residents-remain-vigilant/ [8] Hawaiʻi Department of Health. (2025). COVID-19 Data Visualization. Retrieved from https://data.hawaii.gov/d/hawaii-covid-19/covid-19-data-viz-new/data
The Hawaiʻi Department of Health recommends getting vaccinated for COVID-19, especially for higher-risk populations, as a critical measure in healthcare to combat the rising cases and hospitalizations caused by the ongoing surge of chronic diseases. To further address the surge, it is also advised to follow reasonable health precautions to reduce exposure and illness, such as staying home when sick, covering coughs, wearing masks, and getting tested for COVID-19 if symptoms arise.
