The authorities in Hawaii are struggling to transport tanks of oxygen from the mainland as the state’s hospitals grow increasingly strained by new coronavirus infections. beds have dwindled to 16 available, said Hilton R. Raethel, the president and chief executive of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii. “The most critical point for Hawaii that we’ve experienced during this entire pandemic is right now,” he said. Since July 1, Hawaii has been battling its highest surge in virus infections and hospitalizations, with the seven-day average of reported cases reaching 884 on Tuesday, according to a New York Times database. Health experts say the surge is driven by the highly contagious Delta variant and low vaccination rates.

Source: International New York Times September 02, 2021 09:22 UTC