(BIVN) – There were nine (9) newly identified cases of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaiʻi reported at noon on Friday, officials say.

Almost half of the new cases were the result of correcting discrepancies in laboratory reporting, the Hawaiʻi Department of Health said. Four (4) older cases were added (2 on Oʻahu, 1 on Maui, and 1 on Kauaʻi), and one (1) case was removed from the Oʻahu case total.

UPDATE – The State of Hawaiʻi provided this further clarification on the newly reported cases this afternoon, saying:

Today, there are six (6) new cases of coronavirus among O‘ahu residents and three (3) older cases, being reported. The last time Hawai‘i saw six new cases of coronavirus was on April 22. Health officials remind everyone to continue maintaining all recommended infection prevention measures:

• Social distancing
• Frequent hand Washing
• Wearing of masks
• Staying home when sick

Today’s count of nine (9) additional cases, includes the three (3) older cases, added as a result of data cleaning with one each on O‘ahu, Maui, and Kaua‘i.

The cumulative total number of cases statewide is now 664. Of those cases, 614 have been released from isolation, the State says.

There remains no active cases of COVID-19 identified on Hawaiʻi island, where the cumulative total remains at 81, State and County officials report.

Passenger Arrivals By Air (Hawaʻi Tourism Authority)

Yesterday, 1,621 people arrived in Hawaii. During this same time last year, nearly 30,000 passengers arrived in Hawaii daily, including residents and visitors. Yesterday marks ten weeks since the state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started for all passengers arriving in Hawaii from out of state. The quarantine order was expanded on April 1st to include interisland travelers. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel. This data was collected from the Hawaii Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new Mandatory Travel Declaration Form.

FEMA Awards $3.7 Million to Hawaii for COVID-19 Response

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency shared this update from FEMA on Friday:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded nearly $3.7 million to the Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) for expenses incurred from the COVID-19 response. The funding was made available under a presidential disaster declared on April 1, 2020.

This expedited award reimburses the 75 percent federal cost share associated with performing emergency protective measures utilizing force account and contract services to protect public health and safety and the purchasing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), medical supplies and equipment, and the lease of supply storage space. These costs include the labor and contracts to purchase and distribute PPE and supplies, as well as the movement of these supplies and personnel across multiple Hawaii counties medical facilities.

“This funding goes a long way in helping to prepare our State’s frontline workers and strengthen our surge capacity should the need arise for this unprecedented pandemic incident,” said Luke P. Meyers, Administrator of Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency. “The reimbursement monies can now go to other essential programs to mitigate against a rise in cases should our numbers go up as we slowly open our islands on this current road to economic recovery.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides funding for emergency actions undertaken by communities to protect public safety, providing at least a 75 percent funding share for eligible costs not authorized under other Federal statutes. Remaining costs are the responsibility of the state and local applicants for assistance.

For the COVID-19 response, FEMA has simplified the Public Assistance application and funding process to address the magnitude of this event and to allow local officials to receive eligible funding more quickly. These reimbursements can play a critical role as state, local, and tribal officials work tirelessly to assist their communities during this response.

“These new funds will help cover the cost of PPE and medical equipment for frontline workers, ensuring they can keep themselves and our communities safe,” said U.S. Senator Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi), who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “As Hawai‘i begins to reopen, we’ll need additional PPE and supplies so that we can conduct widespread testing and prepare for any future surge in cases.”