Month: April 2020

Governor’s Office:

Governor Ige Joins People Statewide in Extending Condolences to Victim’s Families

“We are saddened by these additional deaths and the toll the pandemic is taking on the families and friends of those affected,” said Gov. Ige. “This is a serious disease especially for those with pre-existing health conditions and older adults. It is critical that we all comply with the stay at home order, practice social distancing, and continue to wear a mask whenever we go out to protect others.” Maui Mayor Michael Victorino released the following statement on the fifth COVID-19-related death in Maui County: “A fifth death related to COVID-19 in Maui County has been confirmed by the Department of Health. Joycelyn and I extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this Maui County resident. We mourn for each and every person lost to this virus, and ask the community to surround each family with love and support.

Department of Health:

Two Additional COVID-19 Deaths Brings Hawai‘i Total to Twelve

The Hawai‘i Dept. of Health is reporting two additional coronavirus related deaths late last night. These deaths bring the total in the state to twelve (12) since tracking began on Feb. 28, 2020.

Deaths occurred on O‘ahu and on Maui and both are men, 65-years-old, or older. On O‘ahu, the man had underlying health conditions and was hospitalized in late March. After getting better, he had been discharged, but his health subsequently declined and he passed away at home yesterday. On Maui, the man who passed also had underlying health conditions. He had been in the hospital at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) since late last year. This person’s death is considered related to the MMMC cluster, which as of yesterday had 36 staff and 20 patients under investigation as potentially associated with the cluster.

Only Two New COVID-19 Cases in Latest Report

Two new cases of coronavirus are being reported by DOH. Both are adults on Maui. Total cases of COVID-19 reported in Hawai‘i since Feb. 28, 2020 stands at 586.

LABORATORY* TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
25,185	584	24,567

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting 34 test results were inconclusive.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 21, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
O‘ahu	0	385	322
Hawai‘i	0	64	38
Maui	2	108	60
Kaua‘i	0	21	17
Moloka‘i	0	2	0
Lana‘i	0	0	0
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	6
Unknown**	0	0
Total	2	586
Total released from isolation			437
Deaths	2	12

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper Island of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.

Hawaiicovid19.com

Cluster Updates

DOH investigators continue to closely monitor a number of clusters of COVID-19 across the state. At Maui Memorial Medical Center, as of yesterday, there are 56 people under investigation as potentially associated with a cluster. 36 are staff members and 20 are patients.

At McDonalds restaurants at Kailua-Kona on Hawai‘i island a total of 32 people are under investigation as potentially associated with a cluster: 19 employees at three (3) separate locations and 13 household contacts. No customers are identified as part of this cluster.

Mask Requirements and Exceptions

Under the State’s emergency order, everyone is required to wear a mask in essential businesses; however, there are exceptions. While masks are mandated to protect yourself and the people around you, children under the age of 2, and anyone with asthma, COPD, or other respiratory issues may be exempt from wearing the masks if it affects their breathing.

https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/covid-19/faq

 

Department of the Attorney General:

Two Visitors Arrested After Violating COVID-19 Emergency Rules

A 34-year-old woman from Las Vegas, Kimberly Kim Tien, and a 33-year-old man from Sydney, Australia, Edwin Htun, were arrested this morning for violating Emergency Rules in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since Htun is an Australian citizen, authorities notified the embassy of his arrest. The pair were reported by a manager at the LayLow Waikiki Hotel, after being notified by an “irate” citizen that Tien was posting on Instagram showing her being out of her hotel room in violation of the State’s 14-day-self-quarantine law for people arriving in Hawai‘i. Special agents from the Dept. of the Attorney General interviewed staff at the hotel and obtained records that showed that the pair repeatedly left their hotel room from the day they arrived on April 15^th through yesterday. Tien and Htun were arrested at 8:45 this morning, were booked and taken back to their hotel to complete their quarantine period.

 

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

444 Passengers Arrive on Monday

Yesterday, 444 passengers arrived on O‘ahu. There were no direct flights to any other islands from out of state. The total includes 111 visitors and 151 residents. This table shows the breakdown of O‘ahu flights and passengers. The table below in DBEDT’s section includes interisland travel.

AIRPORT ARRIVALS FOR MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew			89		89
Intended New Resident			38		38
Resident			151		151
Transit			55		55
Visitor			111		111
Grand Total	0	0	444	0	444
Flights	0	0	12	0	12

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4455/042120-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

 

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism:

DBEDT is reporting the following interisland passenger numbers for Hawai‘i airports for April 18, 2020.

Departing Airport	HNL	KOA	ITO	OGG	LIH	MKK	LNY	Total Departing
Honolulu (HNL)	0	26	45	29	32	8	0	140
Kona (KOA)	30	0	0	3	0	0	0	33
Hilo (ITO)	56	0	0	0	0	0	0	56
Kahului (OGG)	86	3	0	0	0	4	5	98
Līhuʻe (LIH)	37	0	0	0	0	0	0	37
Moloka‘i (MKK)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
Lanaʻi (LYN)	2	0	0	4	0	0	0	6
Waimea (MUE)	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2
Total Arriving	211	29	45	39	32	12	5	373

https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/covid19/

 

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands:

Federal Funds to Provide DHHL Beneficiaries Rental Relief

A new program to provide rental relief for Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) applicant waiting list beneficiaries was approved by the Hawaiian Homes Commission (HHC) on Tuesday, Apr. 21, 2020. The DHHL COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program will provide eligible native Hawaiian beneficiaries with rental assistance using Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant funds. The program allows those eligible beneficiaries who have experienced a loss of income or job as a result of COVID-19, to receive assistance with rent or their security deposit for up to six months. HHC Chairman William J. Ailā, Jr. said, “The Department is pleased to announce the opportunity for rental relief to DHHL applicants on the waiting list as we continue to prepare 1,300 lots statewide still on schedule to be produced over the next five years. During these challenging and uncertain times, I want all of our beneficiaries to know that they are on our minds daily, and collectively, we are working diligently to provide support.” Qualified applicants must have already been on DHHL’s waiting list as of Dec. 31, 2018 and have a household annual income that does not exceed 80 percent of the area median income.

HHC Approves Rental Relief Option for DHHL General Lessees, Licensees, Permittees

The HHC has also approved an action to accept rental relief requests from qualified general lessees, licensees, and permittees on land managed by DHHL statewide amid the COVID-19 pandemic. HHC’s approval includes the delegatory authorization of Chairman William J. Ailā, Jr. to review, approve, and authorize the requests on a case-by-case basis. The rental relief will act as a deferral of payments to qualified requestors and will cover a period of six months from April 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020. An amortized interest rate of no less than four percent will be applied against the rent relief period balance. For latest on COVID-19 impacts on DHHL activities:

http://dhhl.hawaii.gov/covid-19

 

Department of Taxation:

Tax Deadline Looming for Stimulus Checks

If you have not filed your 2018 or 2019 federal tax returns and have dependents, you must take action by Wednesday, Apr. 22, 6:00 a.m. HST to ensure you receive the full amount of your Economic Impact Payment (stimulus check) this year. If you do not meet this deadline, the $500 per qualifying child will be paid with your tax year 2020 return filing. You can use the IRS Non-Filer tool online to register to have the $500 per eligible child added to your $1,200 Economic Impact Payment. If you filed federal tax returns for 2018 or 2019, you will automatically receive the payment if you qualify. Use the Get My Payment tool to check on the status of your Economic Impact Payment date and to update your direct deposit information.

https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments

 

Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority:

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in Public Housing Communities

The Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority (HPHA) is stepping up to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in its public housing communities. In addition to the many initiatives launched, HPHA workers will distribute staff-made and commercial-grade face masks to all HPHA participants statewide, many of whom are elderly, disabled, or minors. In addition to providing masks, HPHA will provide cleaning supplies to its residents and continue providing thousands of meals. HPHA has already waived all minimum rent due to COVID-19-related income loss, and it’s working to launch free WiFi to all public housing residents. HPHA Executive Director Hakim Ouansafi said, “None of these activities could be carried out without the dedication and support of the HPHA staff, including property managers, office and maintenance staff and many others who keep showing up to work and make a difference in people’s lives. The HPHA continues to step up its efforts to keep our at-risk seniors and families as safe as possible during these trying times.”

http://www.hpha.hawaii.gov/news/docs/HPHA%20Press%20Release_COVID-19%20Public%20Housing%20Response_4-20-20%20V2.pdf

 

Department of Accounting and General Services:

2020 King Kamehameha Celebration Events Cancelled

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission (KKCC) has announced it will be cancelling all King Kamehameha Celebrations statewide this year, including lei draping ceremonies, parades, and the ho`olaule`a. KKCC Chair Kainoa Daines said, “The decision to cancel these major, statewide events was made with the health and safety of our island communities and kūpuna in mind. While we are hopeful that the worst of the COVID-19 health crisis will be behind us by June, we feel the prudent response at this time is to cancel our events so that all involved in our respective King Kamehameha Celebration festivities across the state can focus on matters important to health, welfare and economy. We look forward to commemorating and celebrating Kamehameha Pai‘ea in 2021.” For more information, updates, and 2021 dates:

http://ags.hawaii.gov/kamehameha/

 

Hawai‘i House of Representatives:

House Select Committee Meets on COVID-19 Develops Plan to Restart Economy

The Hawai‘i House of Representatives Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness held another meeting Monday, where they discussed plans to restart Hawai‘i’s economy. The committee heard detailed presentations by Alan Oshima, who is heading Governor David Ige’s Hawaiʻi Economic and Community Recovery & Resiliency Plan, and Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association President & CEO Dr. Mark Mugiishi. Oshima presented a report that states prerequisites to incrementally reopening the economy in three phases: phase 1, stabilization of the COVID-19 cases; phase 2, the gradual reopening and recovery of the economy; and phase 3, building a resilient economy with strong business and job growth. Oshima said we are now in the stabilization phase and moving cautiously, but quickly forward. Any move to phase 2 reopening must be tied to healthcare readiness. While they’re still coming up with a timeline, the plans will later be submitted to a leadership team that has the authority to implement them. The team includes Gov. David Ige, House Speaker Scott Saiki, Senate President Ron Kouchi, First Hawaiian Bank CEO Robert S. Harrison, Bank of Hawaii President & CEO Peter Ho, and several leaders in the medical field. The committee has a website with videos of all its briefings and accompanying documents:

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/specialcommittee.aspx?comm=cov&year=2020

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 21, 2020

Governor’s Office:

Governor Expresses Condolences to 10^th Victim’s Family

After the death of a Washington State visitor from COVID-19 over the weekend, Governor Ige offered condolences to the man’s family and friends and said this was another sign of the seriousness of this disease and continued adherence to his stay-at-home orders and other measures designed to flatten the curve of coronavirus infections in Hawai‘i.

Economic Recovery & Resilience Update:

Alan Oshima, the state Economic Recovery and Resiliency Navigator, appointed by Gov. Ige to help coordinate Hawai‘i’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery, laid out guiding principles during today’s media briefing at the State Capitol. He said public and private leaders need to practice these principles during the current public health and economic crisis:

• Be visible, purposeful and authentic
• Use multiple clock speeds (i.e. consider the now, next and later)
• Cut through bureaucracy
• Be flexible, focus on execution
• Engage externally
• Adapt and innovate

Oshima laid out a three-phase plan for reopening Hawai‘i’s economy. Phase 1 is stabilization – focus on stabilizing the number of COVID-19 cases. Phase 2 consists of reopening and recovery, which begins with gradual, sequenced reopening of normal activities; and Phase 3 is building a resilient economy with strong business and job growth. The goals of Phase 1-stabilization includes prevention, testing & quarantine, treatment, socio-economic sustenance, communication, financing and governance. Oshima identified four actions that lead to effective governance during the stabilization phase, including making transparent, data-informed decisions early; delivering results and coordinating across localities; enabling bi-directional communications to disseminate information and mobilize action; enforcing, utilizing self-regulating mechanisms and consistent levels to encourage compliance with issued guidelines; and monitoring by developing a system to track and assess compliance of businesses and people to adjust strategies.

recoverynavigator.hawaii.gov

 

Lt. Governor’s Office:

Update from Lieutenant Governor Josh Green – State COVID-19 Healthcare Liaison

Hawai‘i statistics on COVID-19:

• 7% mortality rate, second lowest in the United States behind Wyoming
• 15% use of ventilators in the state
• 584 people have tested positive, 423 have been released from isolation, a 72.4% recovery rate

In a press conference Monday, Lt. Gov. Josh Green said, “I know people are getting anxious to get back to ‘normal.’ I want to acknowledge that I am so impressed and pleased with the way our residents have stepped up for each other to help prevent a catastrophic surge of cases in our state… We did a great job of flattening this curve, but there is a risk of additional spikes in cases if we’re not careful. We are diligently working to ensure we reopen Hawaii in a careful, thoughtful way that keeps people healthy and safe while jumpstarting our economy as much as possible.”

 

Department of Health:

Number of New COVID-19 Cases Drops to Four

The DOH reports four new cases of coronavirus statewide – two each on Hawai‘i Island and Maui. All are adults and their risk factors are all unknown.

LABORATORY* TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
24,543	582	23,927

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting 34 test results were inconclusive.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 20, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
O‘ahu	0	385	312
Hawai‘i	2	64	38
Maui	2	106	57
Kaua‘i	0	21	16
Moloka‘i	0	2	0
Lana‘i	0	0	0
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	6
Unknown**	0	0
Total	4	584
Total released from isolation			423
Deaths	0	10

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper County of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.

Hawaiicovid19.com

Cluster Updates

No new cases of COVID-19 have been identified at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC). The facility implemented universal masking and daily symptom screening of all employees on April 8. There are no new cases reported at McDonald’s restaurants in Kailua-Kona. The investigation is ongoing.

 

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

441 Passengers Arrive on Sunday

Yesterday, 441 passengers arrived in Hawai‘i including 123 visitors and 184 residents. The state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started on March 26 for all passengers arriving in Hawai‘i from out of state. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday. The following table shows interisland travel as of April 17, 2020.

AIRPORT ARRIVALS FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew	2	6	83		91
Intended New Resident			29		29
Resident	9	13	162		184
Transit			14		14
Visitor	2	12	109		123
Grand Total	13	31	397	0	441
Flights	1	1	11	0	13

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4453/042020-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

 

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism:

DBEDT is reporting the following interisland passenger numbers for Hawai‘i airports for April 17, 2020.

Departing Airport	HNL	KOA	ITO	OGG	LIH	MKK	LNY	MUE*	Total Departing
Honolulu (HNL)	0	61	67	85	57	8	1	0	279
Kona (KOA)	114	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	116
Hilo (ITO)	101	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	101
Kahului (OGG)	270	9	0	0	0	10	1	1	291
Līhuʻe (LIH)	138	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	138
Moloka‘i (MKK)	0	0	0	7	0	0	0	0	7
Lanaʻi (LYN)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Waimea (MUE)	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2
Total Arriving	623	70	67	97	57	18	2	1	935

https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/covid19/

 

Hawai‘i House of Representatives:

House & State Workers Respond to Call to Support Unemployment Office

Hundreds of workers from the House, the Hawaiʻi Government Employees Association (HGEA), the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association (HSTA), and the University of Hawaiʻi Professional Assembly (UHPA), with the support of the administration, have come together to volunteer to train and work with the state labor department to process the backlog of unemployment claims recently filed due to the economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

It represents a dramatic partnership and launching of a large-scale, coordinated operation to address the skyrocketing unemployment claims that now number over 240,000 and have affected more than one-third of Hawaii’s workforce. Training sessions were held today at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center and again tomorrow, with newly trained volunteers expected to start processing claims by Wednesday. State employees who would like to volunteer can sign-up at www.hawaiiworks.org and should contact their union representatives or department deputy directors. Social distancing measures are in place for this set-up at the HCC.

“Talk Story with House Majority” to Debut This Week

A weekly news and information program called “Talk Story with House Majority” is set to debut Tuesday, Apr. 22 on ‘Ōlelo Community Media. The 30-minute program is being hosted by House Majority Leader Della Au Belatti and will feature live interviews with state officials and community leaders who are doing critical work in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Belatti said, “It is critically important to provide accurate, first-hand information directly from public officials to people who feel isolated during this pandemic. My hope is that this weekly program will answer questions people have about what is being done to protect them during this pandemic and what government is doing to lay the foundations for an economic recovery that builds upon the resiliency and strength of Hawaii’s people.” The first show will be a special hour-long episode featuring Brig. Gen. Moses Kaoiwi Jr., Joint Task Force Commander of the Hawai‘i National Guard (HING). The new program will air every Wednesday at noon on Ōlelo channel 49.

House Select Committee Meets to Discuss Public Health Plan to Restart Economy

The Hawai‘i House of Representatives Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness held another meeting Monday, to discuss plans to restart Hawai‘i’s economy. The committee heard presentations by Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association President & CEO Dr. Mark Mugiishi, and Alan Oshima who is heading Governor David Ige’s Hawaiʻi Economic and Community Recovery & Resiliency Plan. The committee has a website with videos of all its briefings and accompanying documents:

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/specialcommittee.aspx?comm=cov&year=2020

 

Department of Transportation:

Map Links to Airport Closures

Several gate and baggage claim closures remain in effect at airports across the state. HDOT temporarily closed off sections of its airports due to low passenger volume, which are down 99 percent from last year. The closed sections also include shops and restaurants. Links to maps detailing closures at Neighbor Island airports are below. Map links for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport were released last Thursday.

• Kahului Airport (OGG)

https://airports.hawaii.gov/ogg/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/04/OGG_closures_20200413.pdf

• Ellison Onizuka International Airport at Keahole (KOA)

https://airports.hawaii.gov/koa/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/04/KOA_closures_20200413.pdf

• Hilo International Airport (ITO)

https://airports.hawaii.gov/ito/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/04/ITO_closures_20200413.pdf

• Līhu‘e Airport (LIH)

https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2020/04/LIH_closures_20200413.pdf

 

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 20 2020

Department of Health:

Tenth COVID-19 Death Reported

The State extends its condolences to the family and friends of the adult male visitor who is the 10^th death in Hawai‘i associated with COVID-19. The individual was an adult male from Washington state in the 40-59-year age group who had no previous medical conditions and a history of travel. He had been hospitalized for an extended period in serious condition at Maui Memorial Medical Center. Six (6) new positive cases of COVID-19 were also reported by DOH Sunday, bringing the total number of cases to 580. Three (3) were on Oʻahu, two (2) on Maui, and one (1) on Hawai‘i.

LABORATORY* TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
24,028	578	23,415

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting 35 test results were inconclusive.

 

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 19, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
O‘ahu	3	385	309
Hawai‘i	1	62	35
Maui	2	104	54
Kaua‘i	0	21	16
Moloka‘i	0	2	0
Lana‘i	0	0	0
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	6
Unknown**	0	0
Total	6	580
Total released from isolation			414
Deaths	1	10

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper County of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.

Hawaiicovid19.com

Maui Memorial Medical Center Death, Cluster Update

An adult male who was hospitalized at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) is the 10th COVID-19 death reported in Hawai‘i. The patient was in the 40-59-year age group and had no previous medical conditions. Exposure history may be travel-related.

Meanwhile, three additional people are under investigation as being potentially associated with a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases at MMMC. The DOH’s investigation at MMMC continues, and it appears the outbreak may have begun with a healthcare worker who reported to work while ill. A total 45 people (29 staff and 16 patients) are now associated with this cluster of cases. All have been appropriately isolated to prevent further spread of infection.

Update on Kona Restaurant Cases

The Department of Health reports there have been a total of 30 confirmed cases associated with a cluster of cases among McDonald’s restaurants in Kailua-Kona, up one case from Saturday. The new case is an employee at a third McDonald’s located at 75-5729 Kuakini Hwy. That location has voluntary closed at this time. The total now includes 18 employees and 12 household members. DOH is conducting contact tracing for new cases and continuing to monitor employees and family members, all of whom are in isolation or quarantine. The DOH investigation of cases is ongoing.

“Our highest priority is to protect the health and well-being of our people. We’ve been informed that additional employees from our Kona Commons, McDonald’s of Walmart Kona and Kailua-Kona locations have tested positive for the coronavirus and are connected to the previous set of confirmed cases. As soon as we were notified of the first confirmed cases, we immediately closed the restaurants to conduct a thorough sanitization procedure and notified The Hawaii State Department of Health. Additionally, we previously added protective barriers to limit contact in our restaurants. We’ve identified and reached out to all restaurant staff who had been in close contact with the employees who contracted the virus and advised they self-quarantine for 14 days. Under the guidance of the Hawaii State Department of Health, we have offered universal testing to our employees at each location. We are continuing to work closely with the Hawaii Department of Health to ensure the safety of our crew and customers.” – Patrick Lim, McDonald’s Owner Operator. Additional information from the McDonald’s USA regrading COVID-19 prevention and safety actions:

https://news.mcdonalds.com/news-releases/news-release-details/prioritizing-health-safety-and-community-mcdonalds-shares

It is critical that the community continues to be vigilant with practicing social distancing policies and preventive measures such as staying at home when sick, avoiding others that are sick, washing hands, sneezing and coughing etiquette and wearing a cloth face mask per Governor Ige’s fifth supplemental proclamation.

 

Department of Land and Natural Resources:

Officers Out in Full Force Educating and Enforcing Beach Closures

Officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) and the Honolulu Police Dept. were out patrolling O‘ahu beaches Saturday, educating people on temporary rules put in place by Gov. Ige. Under a new emergency proclamation revealed Friday, all beaches under State of Hawai‘i jurisdiction are closed. People are only allowed to access State beaches to get to the ocean for exercise, and they must be following proper social distancing measures. DLNR Chair Suzanne Case and DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla commented, “This is necessary to try and flatten the curve of coronavirus infections, so life can begin to return to normal in Hawai‘i.” Violations of the emergency rules can carry fines up to $5,000 and a year in jail.

HD Video – Waimanalo area beaches & DOCARE Officer:

vimeo.com/user/10051674/folder/1731129
Photographs- Waimanalo area beaches & DOCARE Officer:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f3obkjfvn7ysdb8/AAAT1wOxfDZFYRQd7uq5BpLRa?dl=0

 

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

454 Passengers Arrive on Saturday

Yesterday, 454 passengers arrived in Hawai‘i, including 109 visitors and 157 residents. In comparison, 30,000 people arrived daily during this time last year. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel.

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew	2	6	95		103
Intended New Resident	2		37	3	42
Resident	5	11	140	1	157
Transit			43		43
Visitor	6	8	95		109
Grand Total	15	25	410	4	454
Flights	1	1	11	1	14

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4451/041920-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

 

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism:

DBEDT is reporting the following interisland passenger numbers for Hawai‘i airports for April 16, 2020.

Departing Airport	HNL	KOA	ITO	OGG	LIH	MKK	LNY	MUE*	Total Departing
Honolulu (HNL)	0	56	50	89	43	13	5	0	256
Kona (KOA)	107	0	0	10	0	0	0	0	117
Hilo (ITO)	50	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	50
Kahului (OGG)	100	3	1	0	0	2	4	8	118
Līhuʻe (LIH)	66	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	66
Moloka‘i (MKK)	65	0	0	7	0	0	0	0	72
Lanaʻi (LYN)	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	3
Waimea (MUE)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Total Arriving	388	59	51	110	43	15	9	8	683

https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/covid19/

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 19, 2020

Department of Health:

21 News Cases of COVID-19 Reported

21 new positive cases of COVID-19 were reported by DOH on Saturday. Most of those cases were from Hawai‘i County – where there was a cluster of COVID-19 cases among the McDonald’s restaurants in Kailua-Kona (see update below). There are also new cases on O‘ahu and Maui.

LABORATORY* TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
23,215	572	22,609

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting 34 test results were inconclusive.

 

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 18, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
O‘ahu	2	382	309
Hawai‘i	17	61	33
Maui	2	102	52
Kaua‘i	0	21	16
Moloka‘i	0	2	0
Lana‘i	0	0	0
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	6
Unknown**	0	0
Total	21	574
Total released from isolation			410
Deaths	0	9

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper Island of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.

Hawaiicovid19.com

Update on Kona Restaurant Cases

The Department of Health reports there have been a total of 29 confirmed cases associated with the cluster among the two McDonald’s restaurants in Kailua-Kona that now includes a total of 17 employees and 12 household members. DOH is conducting contact tracing for new cases and continuing to monitor employees and family members, all of whom are in isolation or quarantine. Both restaurants (at Kona Commons and at Walmart in Kailua-Kona) remain closed.

It is critical that the community continues to be vigilant with practicing social distancing policies and preventive measures such as staying at home when sick, avoiding others that are sick, washing hands, sneezing and coughing etiquette and wearing a cloth face mask per Governor Ige’s fifth supplemental proclamation.

 

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

486 Passengers Arrive on Friday

Yesterday, 486 passengers arrived in Hawai‘i, including 98 visitors and 184 residents. In comparison, 30,000 people arrived daily during this time last year. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel.

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew		7	110	6	123
Intended New Resident			39	2	41
Resident		10	165	9	184
Transit			40		40
Visitor		11	85	2	98
Grand Total	0	28	439	19	486
Flights	0	1	11	1	13

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4450/041820-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

 

Department of Public Safety:

Hawai‘i Paroling Authority Procedural Update

To assist in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of the Hawai‘i Paroling Authority (HPA) staff and those who visit HPA’s offices statewide, the following safety protocols have been put into place: Entry into HPA offices will be by appointment only and will only be scheduled for essential issues that must be done in person. Those tentatively approved for appointment will be subject to on-site health screenings and will need to wear masks. Lastly, visitors will be escorted by HPA staff and be required to remain in the conference room for the duration of the visit. Anyone who doesn’t comply with the protocols will be denied access.

Jail Population Report

From March 2 to Apr. 17 there was a 619-person decrease in Hawai‘i’s jail population. This is due to the efforts by the State Judiciary, county police departments, and PSD’s Intake Service Division as they work to limit the number of people requiring admittance into the jails.

Inmate Population Relief Efforts

The Department of Public Safety is following the petition from the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) to the Hawai‘i Supreme Court requesting release of certain inmates due to concerns of possible spread of COVID-19 to the prisons and jails. On Wednesday, Apr. 15, the Supreme Court issued an interim order, requesting a list of select probation and pre-trial inmates for court-considered release which will have to be turned in by Apr. 20. From there, prosecutors will have three days to submit motions to object, then the courts will determine by Apr. 28 who may be considered for release.

Inmate Mask-Sewing Production Grows

Inmates in the sewing program are sewing thousands of cloth face coverings for Public Safety Department staff, inmates and other state agencies as a way to prevent COVID-19 from spreading, and to give back something to the community. This sewing project began on Apr. 1 at the Waiawa Correctional Facility (WCF) and Kulani Correctional Facility (KCF), with the assistance of the Hawai‘i Correctional Industries (HCI) which supplied the fabric, sewing supplies and sewing machines for the inmates. The program expanded on Wednesday and now includes a work line at the Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center (HCCC). Work lines that were sewing 600-700 masks a day last week are now producing 2,000 masks per day. By Apr. 30, HCI expects to manufacture as many as 6,000 masks a day. The masks are being rolled out to divisions within the Public Safety Department, then will eventually go to other state agencies and the general public.

https://dps.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/RELEASE-PSD-HPA-COVID-19-updates-4.17.20.pdf

 

Hawai‘i House of Representatives:

House Select Committee to Discuss Public Health Plan to Restart Economy

The Hawai‘i House of Representatives Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness will hold another meeting on Monday, Apr. 20, at 10 a.m. The committee will move from research and planning for Hawai‘i’s economic recovery post-COVID-19 and focus on implementing those plans. The committee will hear presentations by Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association President & CEO Dr. Mark Mugiishi, and Alan Oshima who is heading Governor David Ige’s Hawaiʻi Economic and Community Recovery & Resiliency Plan. The briefing will be held via community television and online, and no in-person testimony will be accepted. You can watch the meeting on ‘Olelo Channel 49 or on the House webcast page.

https://olelo.org/ or http://olelo.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=31

 

Hawai‘i State Judiciary:

Judiciary Postpones Trials Until End of May

The Hawai‘i State Judiciary has postponed trials in civil, criminal, and family courts until May 29, 2020 or whenever Gov. Ige’s state of emergency ends – whichever is sooner. That’s at the order of Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald. He also ordered the formation of the Committee on Operational Solutions, a group formed to accelerate the courts’ capabilities to conduct court proceedings remotely during the COVID-19 crisis. Chief Justice Recktenwald said, “While our community has responded well to stay-at-home orders and the results of these public health measures have been encouraging, the Judiciary must continue to do our part to protect the health and safety of our court personnel and court users. However, we recognize the importance of addressing as many cases as possible, either by teleconferencing or videoconferencing, as appropriate. We formed the Committee on Operational Solutions in order to devote resources to significantly increasing the Judiciary’s technological capabilities in a swift and systematic fashion.”

https://www.courts.state.hi.us/news_and_reports/2020/04/judiciary-postpones-trials-until-end-of-may

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 18, 2020

Governor’s Office

Fifth Supplementary Proclamation Addresses Face Coverings & Outdoor Activity

Governor David Ige’s Fifth Supplementary Proclamation adds to existing emergency rules for the COVID-19 crisis. The governor is encouraging everyone to wear cloth face masks whenever in public places with the exception of exercising outside, as long as social distancing requirements are maintained. It also details limitations on activities outside your home or place of residence, including the closure of all state beaches (see more detail below under DLNR). The proclamation also directs all employees and customers of essential businesses to exercise social distancing and protective requirements:

• Maintain six-foot distancing whether outside, waiting in lines or indoors with many people
• Businesses determine maximum number of customers allowed at one time in their establishment
• Frequent use of hand sanitizers and disinfectants
• All customers and employees who have customer contact must wear a cloth face mask
• High risk populations urged to stay home
• Encouraging online, remote access, store pick-up and home delivery options
• Posting of social distancing signs

Proclamation Includes Eviction Moratorium

The Fifth Supplementary Proclamation forestalls evictions for failure to pay rents, leases, or other related charges, such as maintenance fees, utilities, and taxes during the COVID-19 crisis. Violations of this provision and any others of this and prior Supplementary Proclamations is a misdemeanor, upon conviction, punishable by fines as much as $5,000 or a year in jail, or both.

https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/latest-news/office-of-the-governor-news-release-governor-ige-orders-eviction-moratorium/

 

Department of Education:

DOE Announces Distance Learning For Remainder of the School Year

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education (DOE) announced today that it will continue distance learning for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. The decision was based on the latest guidance and information from health officials and elected leaders. DOE Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto said, “This pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way that education will be delivered at all levels and especially how our Department will operate moving forward. We have pushed our boundaries and created new ways of delivering on our mission, including expanding distance learning opportunities, establishing an equity of access approach to devices and the internet, and exploring work from home approaches that can help us rethink our real estate footprint for non-instructional staff. I want to acknowledge the resiliency of the DOE workforce and thank them for rising to the challenge of looking for innovative ways to move our work forward through this unprecedented time.”

The department’s focus will shift in the coming weeks toward a rollout of summer school, which will largely occur using distance learning, as well as creating a plan for the school year 2020-21. Additionally, the department will also launch a health triage hotline and telehealth service staffed by a registered nurse, which parents can use to get assessments of physical and mental health needs for students. School facilities have been closed to students since March 19, but the school system remains open.

http://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/ConnectWithUs/MediaRoom/PressReleases/Pages/HIDOE-enrichment-and-distance-learning-to-continue-for-the-remainder-of-the-2019-20-school-year.aspx

 

Department of Health:

12 News Cases of COVID-19

Eleven (11) adults and one (1) minor are among the dozen new cases of COVID-19 reported by DOH today. There are new cases on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, and Maui. Eleven cases are Hawai‘i residents and one is a non-resident.

LABORATORY* TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
22,296	551	21,699

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting 46 test results were inconclusive.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 17, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
O‘ahu	7	380	292
Hawai‘i	3	44	30
Maui	7	100	52
Kaua‘i	0	21	16
Moloka‘i	0	2	0
Lana‘i	0	0	0
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	6
Unknown**	-5	0
Total	12	553
Total released from isolation			390
Deaths	0	9

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper County of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.

Hawaiicovid19.com

Maui Memorial Medical Center Cluster Update

One additional person is under investigation as being potentially associated with the cluster of positive COVID-19 cases at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC). The DOH’s investigation at MMMC continues and it appears the outbreak may have been driven by a single healthcare worker who was allowed to work while ill. 42 people (27 staff and 15 patients) are now associated with this particular cluster of cases. One homeless individual had been hospitalized at MMMC and was discharged with COVID-19 like symptoms to an apartment complex for homeless people. This individual and an asymptomatic roommate have been relocated to an isolation facility.

Race Breakdown of Cases Now Available Online

The DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division website now includes a table depicting racial group comparisons of positive COVID-19 cases compared to overall state census data.

This table and many others available at: http://health.hawaii.gov/docd/

 

Department of Land and Natural Resources:

Beaches, Trails, Boating and Fishing Impacted by New Rules

Governor Ige’s Fifth Supplementary Proclamation today not only closes all state beaches to sitting, standing, lounging, lying down, sunbathing and loitering, but also includes restrictions on boating fishing and hiking. DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said, “We encouraged these more severe restrictions after officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) and others observed large groups of people continuing to ignore social distancing guidelines when outside.” People can still transit across beaches to get to the ocean for outdoor exercise like surfing, solo paddling, and swimming as long as social distances are maintained. Generally, families or people sharing the same residential addresses are exempt from the new rules, that for all others disallows more than two people being on a boat together or fishing together. Group hiking is banned on all State trails. People who want to hike alone and want to have someone else along for safety reasons are required to maintain a distance of not less than 20-feet from each other. Read the complete DLNR news release here:

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/04/17/nr20-047/

 

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

386 Passengers Arrive on Thursday

Yesterday, the fewest number of passengers and flights arrived at Hawai‘i airports during the past three weeks. 386 people arrived, including 110 visitors and 157 residents. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel.

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew	4	6	44		54
Intended New Resident	1		44		45
Resident	27	5	125		157
Transit			20		20
Visitor	13	9	88		110
Grand Total	45	20	321	0	386
Flights	1	1	7	0	9

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4448/041720-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

 

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism:

DBEDT is reporting the following interisland passenger numbers for Hawai‘i airports for April 14, 2020.

Departing Airport	HNL	KOA	ITO	OGG	LIH	MKK	LNY	MUE*	Total Departing
Honolulu (HNL)	0	49	58	132	48	11	2	0	300
Kona (KOA)	68	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	73
Hilo (ITO)	89	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	89
Kahului (OGG)	72	2	0	0	0	10	3	1	88
Līhuʻe (LIH)	100	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	100
Moloka‘i (MKK)	30	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	33
Lanaʻi (LYN)	8	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	9
Waimea (MUE)	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	3
Total Arriving	358	51	58	144	48	21	5	1	695

https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/covid19/

 

HTDC Awards $2M in Grants to Local Tech and Manufacturing Companies

The Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) announced it has awarded nearly $2 million in grants to 42 local technology and manufacturing companies for fiscal year 2020. The money was awarded under two state programs, $1.42 million to HTDC’s Small Business Innovation Research program and $485,692 to HTDC’s Manufacturing Assistance Program. Although the annual grant programs are not in direct response to the COVID-19 outbreak, they will provide much-needed support during this pandemic, and help Hawai‘i’s economy become more resilient. Mike McCartney, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism said, “State investment into our manufacturing and innovation sectors not only provides critical support in the immediate term, it helps diversify Hawai‘i’s economy and lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth. By supporting new drivers for Hawai‘i’s economy we will be better positioned to deal with potential economic adversity in the future.” The grants are designed to help companies further the development of new products and solve critical issues, and will also allow Hawai‘i-based manufacturers to expand production capacity and create more jobs in the state.

https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/blog/20-07/

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 17, 2020

Office of the Governor:

President Issues Guidelines For Re-Opening States

President Donald Trump has issued guidelines for re-opening the State amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While there were only 11 new positive cases today, and it appears Hawai‘i is flattening the curve, the state currently doesn’t meet the criteria for a phased opening. The guidelines require a downward trajectory of cases for a 14-day period. Gov. Ige said, “We are not there yet, so please continue your hard work and perseverance. We will get through this together.”

Governor Continues Working on Hawai’i Economic Plan

Gov. Ige and his administration are continuing to look into the economic crisis Hawai‘i is facing. Today the governor said the State expects to have a better financial picture by May, but is projecting a $1.5 billion budget shortfall due to the decrease in tax collections. When commenting on how to make up the funds, Gov. Ige said, “Salary reductions or furloughs are the last thing anyone wants to see happen. I want to assure everyone that we will explore all options before making any decisions about salary reductions for government employees. We have already been looking at cost controls on the expense side. We are also looking at what can be done to access the rainy day fund. This requires action by the State Legislature, and we are in discussions to determine what is possible. We are also looking at using budget reserve funds and federal monies available through the CARES Act.” Gov. Ige also reiterated if there were to be any salary cuts, it will start with him and his cabinet.

 

 

Office of the Lieutenant Governor:

Hawaiʻi Telehealth Initiatives 

As the state’s COVID-19 healthcare liaison, I’m working with our healthcare task force to ensure continuity of care, particularly for individuals with chronic underlying conditions. Telehealth or “virtual health” is a great tool for Hawaiʻi residents to take care of their health needs during this time. It allows patients to meet one-on-one with their healthcare provider without leaving home. For providers, it’s a great option for keeping their practice operational during this difficult time.

Basic medical care, psychological appointments, dermatology, post-surgical follow-ups and consultations for other chronic diseases like diabetes can all be handled via telehealth. There are some medical needs that people will need to continue to visit their healthcare provider. If you think telehealth might be right for you, contact your healthcare provider. Always think “Call before you click.”

Thank you to our partners from Queen’s, Kaiser, HMSA, JABSOM and DHS Med-Quest for joining us today. We appreciate your support.

 

 

Department of Health:

Eleven New Cases of COVID-19 Reported

Ten (10) adults and one (1) minor are the eleven (11) new cases reported by the DOH as of noon today. Ten (10) of the cases are residents and one (1) is a non-resident. New cases are reported on O‘ahu and Maui.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
21,681	539	21,104

38 test results were inconclusive

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 16, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
O‘ahu	4	373	284
Hawai‘i	0	41	30
Maui	3	93	44
Kaua‘i	0	21	16
Moloka‘i	0	2	Included in Maui numbers
Lana‘i	0	0	Included in Maui numbers
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	6
Unknown**	4	5
Total	11	541
Total released from isolation			374
Deaths	0	9

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper County of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.

Cluster Investigation Continues at Maui Memorial Medical Center

41 individuals are under investigation as potentially associated with a cluster of COVID-19 cases at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC). This number includes 26 staff members, 14 patients and one undetermined. The main cluster involves at least 15 staff and eight (8) patients. 195 healthcare personnel and 93 patients have been tested as part of this investigation. While test results for possible new exposures are pending, DOH confirms that the implementation of extensive infection control measures throughout MMMC, reduces concerns for new transmissions events at the facility.

COVID-19 Investigations in Wahiawa

Two healthcare workers at Wahiawa General Hospital Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on O‘ahu have tested positive for COVID-19. The cases appear to be unrelated to each other, as well as a past case that occurred in late March. Given the two recent cases occurred within a week of each other, DOH cannot exclude possible association at this time. 12 people associated with the pair of cases have tested negative for the virus. Infection control measures and monitoring by the facility’s infection control preventionist is continuing. At the Wahiawa Center for Community Health, two healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19. DOH has reports of a third worker at the center who had been hospitalized, but it appears that the person was likely exposed while traveling out-of-state, has not had exposure with the other two people, and has not been at work since returning to Hawai‘i.

Update on Kona Restaurant Cases

There is one new positive case associated with the cluster among the McDonald’s restaurants in Kailua-Kona. Another employee at the Walmart location has tested positive. DOH is continuing to monitor employees and family members, all of whom are in isolation or quarantine. Both restaurants (at Kona Commons and at Walmart in Kailua-Kona) are temporarily closed. There is low-risk to the public, as only workers or their family members were identified as close contacts.

Household Surveys Planned on Kaua‘i

DOH’s Kaua‘i District Health Office will conduct a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response, known as a CASPER survey, to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Kaua‘i households. Survey teams will go door-to-door, April 22-24, to 30 census tracts that are weighted towards more populated areas within the county. Seven houses within each tract will be systematically selected and surveyed. Survey teams are comprised of DOH staff with support from the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency, Kaua‘i Medical Reserve Corps, and the American Red Cross. Teams will be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing will be observed. Participating households can complete the survey over the phone, if preferred. Selected households will be asked about their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19, as well as the financial and mental health impacts on people in their households. Team members will have on vests identifying themselves as part of the DOH-CASPER survey team and will carry identification cards. All survey responses are confidential, and names and addresses won’t be collected.

 

 

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

764 Passengers Arrive on Wednesday, Including National Guard Soldiers  

Yesterday, 764 people arrived in Hawai‘i including 105 visitors and 480 residents. The returning resident count is particularly high for Wednesday because it includes about 300 National Guard Soldiers who returned from a deployment. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel.

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew		9	85	6	100
Intended New Resident			44	1	45
Resident		23	437	20	480
Transit			34		34
Visitor		7	95	3	105
Grand Total	0	39	695	30	764
Flights	0	1	10	1	12

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4446/041620-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

 

 

Department of Transportation:

HDOT Temporarily Closes Select Airport Gates, Baggage Claims

The Hawaiʻi Dept. of Transportation has temporarily closed sections of its airports because of low passenger volumes, which are down 99 percent from last year. At the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) the closures include all the B and C gates and nearly half of the baggage claims.

Link to map of baggage claim closures:

https://airports.hawaii.gov/hnl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/04/HNL_closures_Floor1_Baggage_20200415.pdf

Link to map of second-floor gate closures:

https://airports.hawaii.gov/hnl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/04/HNL_closures_Floor2_Gates_20200408.pdf

 

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism:

DBEDT is reporting the following interisland passenger numbers for Hawai‘i airports for April 13, 2020.

Departing Airport	HNL	KOA	ITO	OGG	LIH	MMK	LNY	MUE*	Total Departing
Honolulu (HNL)	0	156	125	167	189	35	2	0	674
Kona (KOA)	97	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	97
Hilo (ITO)	97	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	97
Kahului (OGG)	67	1	1	0	0	19	3	2	93
Līhuʻe (LIH)	67	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	67
Moloka‘i	27	0	0	14	0	0	0	0	41
Lanaʻi (LYN)	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
Total Arriving	358	157	126	182	189	54	5	2	1073

 

Department of Defense:

Soldiers Return Home From Deployment

About 300 Soldiers from the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard 1^st Battalion, 487^th Field Artillery were reunited with their families yesterday after returning from a nearly year-long deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Soldiers took a chartered flight from Fort Bliss, Texas Wednesday, and were reunited with their families at a National Guard facility. Only two members from each Soldier’s family were allowed to attend and they had to stay inside their cars the entire time to follow social-distancing measures. Video/images of the Soldiers return:

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/747786/1-487-field-artillery-return-deployment

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6175595/1-487-field-artillery-return-deployment

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/747931/1-487-field-artillery-return-deployment-package

 

Hawaiʻi House of Representatives:

Windward Oʻahu Lawmakers Holding Virtual Town Hall

Windward Oʻahu lawmakers will be holding a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m. to talk about public health. They’ll be joined by Lt. Gov. Josh Green discussing the state’s COVID-19 efforts, Dr. Joshua Evans on keeping multi-generational families safe, and Kathleen Rhoads Merriam from DOH talking about mental health practices during this pandemic. At the end of the town hall, there will be a live question and answer via Zoom and Facebook. To watch: www.windwardmenu.com/townhall

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 16, 2020

Governor’s Office:

Governor Ige Sends Message to State Employees

To all my fellow employees of the State of Hawaiʻi. These are very challenging times, and your efforts and dedication are helping to shepherd our community through the COVID-19 crisis. Many of you were informed recently by your union or read the news reports of proposed budget cuts. Let me be very frank with you, due to this crisis the main sources of state revenue have been drastically reduced. And state government needs to look very different going forward. I have begun initial conversations with the Legislature and the unions that represent you, but no decisions have been made yet. These discussions are ongoing and we will keep you informed and updated on what this means for you in the days to come.

I wish that I could speak to each of you personally and express my heartfelt thanks for your hard work and commitment to the people of Hawaiʻi. I am very proud of everything that we have accomplished. And I know that, together, we will defeat this pandemic and protect the health of our families, friends and neighbors. Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. And, most importantly, take care of our community. The following link is to a video message from me that expresses my gratitude for everything that you do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HlhjlMLSkE&feature=youtu.be

 

Department of Health:

Thirteen (13) New Cases of COVID-19 Reported

All of the 13 additional cases of COVID-19 reported by DOH are adults and all but one are Hawai‘i residents. The place of residence of one person is under investigation. There is an even split between infection risk factors, with travel-association noted in six (6) cases, and community-spread also at six (6). Risk factor for one person is unknown at this time.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
20,535	528	19,972

35 test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12:00 NOON, APRIL 15, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
O‘ahu	11	369	271
Hawai‘i	0	41	30
Maui	4	90	42
Kaua‘i	0	21	16
Moloka‘i	0	2	Included in Maui numbers
Lana‘i	0	0	Included in Maui numbers
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	6
Unknown**	-2	1
Total	13	530
Total released from isolation			359
Deaths	0	9

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper County of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.

Hale Makua Health Services on Maui Impacted by COVID-19 Positive Cases

Hale Makua Health Services received word from DOH that one home health patient has tested COVID-19 positive, and that one of six of its nursing home residents who were potentially exposed during their stay at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) prior to being admitted to Hale Makua Kahului has tested positive. The nursing home resident who tested positive, initially received a negative test result on April 9. Because this individual was treated on the MMMC unit with the COVID-19 positive cluster of workers, the resident was re-tested on April 13, which resulted in the current positive received today. The resident is currently asymptomatic and in isolation.

On April 11 Hale Makua Health Services was notified by DOH that six (6) nursing home residents were potentially exposed to COVID-19. Since then the resident noted above had a second test administered, which came back positive. The five other nursing home residents recently admitted from MMMC tested negative, have been in isolation since April 12, are being retested, and are currently asymptomatic. Based upon DOH’s recommendation, all of these residents have been moved to a separate wing for 14-day quarantine in private rooms with droplet precautions. All residents and staff who may have been exposed will be tested for COVID-19. Home Health by Hale Makua is caring for its first positive COVID-19 patient. This patient presented with symptoms of COVID-19 after being discharged from the hospital, and was under observation by the DOH until being released from isolation on April 14. Out of an abundance of caution, all employees who had any contact with the patient are also self-isolating and have been tested.

Update on Kona Restaurant Cases

There are no new cases associated with the cluster at McDonald’s restaurants at Kailua-Kona on Hawai‘i Island. DOH is continuing to monitor all six (6) employees and six (6) family members who are in isolation or quarantine (one employee was counted as a household member, was quarantined before identification as a case and was likely exposed at home rather than work). The department is continuing to work with McDonald’s to ensure appropriate infection control measures are in place when the restaurants reopen. DOH is reiterating that

there is low risk to the public, as only workers or their family members are involved, and when open the restaurants were taking necessary physical distancing measures to protect customers.

Medical Reserve Corps has Successful Kick-off

In the first 24 hours since HAH and DOH put out the call for volunteers, medical professionals and others, 111 people have responded. Mahalo, and if you have skills and/or time to devote please register: www.nlk.doh.hawaii.gov.

 

Department of Defense:

800 Additional National Guard Members Put on Mission

The Hawai‘i National Guard is increasing its personnel to 1,200 Guardsmen to help with the COVID-19 response. Last week, 400 Soldiers and Airmen were activated, meaning a total of 800 more Guardsmen will be brought on status to assist by tomorrow. National Guard Commanders for each island have been in contact with the county mayors and emergency management team to best help the state in its COVID-19 response. Joint Task Force Commander Brig. Gen. Moses Kaoiwi Jr. said: “I am confident that by working together, we will meet our objectives of continuing to flatten the curve and create a safe and secure environment for the people of Hawai‘i.” The National Guard has received federal funding to assist in pay and allowances for Soldiers and Airmen.

Soldiers Returning to Hawai‘i After Deployment

A Hawaiʻi Army National Guard unit, the 1^st Battalion, 487^th Field Artillery, is returning home Wednesday night from a year-long deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq. About 300 Soldiers are taking a chartered flight from Fort Bliss, Texas to reunite with their families at a National Guard facility. Only two members from each Soldier’s family will be allowed to attend the reunion and they will have to stay in their cars the entire time to ensure social-distancing rules. The Soldiers completed a 14-day quarantine before leaving Texas. Once arriving in Hawaiʻi, they will be subject to the governor’s stay-at-home order.

 

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Hotels for Heroes Provides Nearly 1,000 Rooms So Far

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), and the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association (HLTA) have developed the Hotels for Heroes program that’s providing complimentary rooms for health care workers and first responders during the COVID-19 crisis. State tourism dollars are being used to pay for these hotel rooms. The program started on Monday, April 6. This table shows the number of room nights booked so far.

HOTEL FOR HEROES AS OF APRIL 13, 2020

Kaua‘i	17
O‘ahu	563
Maui	192
Hawai‘i	151
Total Booked to date	923

 

512 Passenger Arrivals for Tuesday, April 14

Yesterday, 512 people arrived in Hawaiʻi, including 119 visitors and 174 residents. In comparison, 30,000 people arrived daily during this same time last year. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel.

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew	6	6	124		136
Intended New Resident	6		43		49
Resident	10	8	156		174
Transit			34		34
Visitor	12	6	101		119
Grand Total	34	20	458	0	512
Flights	1	1	13	0	15

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4443/041520-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

 

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism:

DBEDT is reporting the following interisland passenger numbers for Hawai‘i airports on April 12, 2020.

                                                                                          Arriving Airport

Departing Airport	HNL	KOA	ITO	OGG	LIH	MMK	LNY
Honolulu (HNL)	0	33	37	59	15	18	1
Kona (KOA)	61	0	0	4	0	0	0
Hilo (ITO)	55	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kahului (OGG)	31	3	0	0	0	3	0
Līhuʻe (LIH)	43	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lanaʻi (LYN)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total Arriving	192	36	37	65	15	18	1
Total Departing	159	41	48	36	41		4

 

Department of Transportation:

COVID-19 Crisis Postpones Dillingham Actions

DOT’s Airports Division has notified tenants of Dillingham Airfield the termination of their permits at the facility has been rescinded due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. DOT’s goal is to terminate the lease with the U.S. Army by June 30, 2021 and expects that all tenant permits will be terminated by that date, at the latest. Tenants may use this additional time to make alternative arrangements. All terms, conditions, and requirements of the tenants’ permits remain in effect.

 

Department of Education:

Alternative graduation honors planned

After much consideration and discussion, DOE has determined that traditional commencement ceremonies at public and charter schools will be replaced with alternative celebrations for the class of 2020 due to safety concerns and social distancing guidance. Schools will honor their seniors through different models of celebrations, which will be announced next week. “Graduation is considered a major milestone in any academic journey. In Hawaiʻi these celebrations are uniquely special with a long-standing tradition of families coming together to celebrate, giving towering amounts of lei, and enjoying each other’s company — something we are all missing during this time,” Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto said.

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations:

Hawai‘i Unemployment Filings at 237,048

The DLIR has taken 237,048 initial filings since March 1 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those initial claims were filed via a web form that was made available on March 23. All claims will be honored from the date of separation, if eligible. Governor Ige announced during his daily media briefing that last week, more than $11 million in benefits was distributed – with $7.7 million sent out yesterday alone. The governor said, “The system was initially unable to handle the increased volume of claims. But it has been upgraded and we are diligently working on increasing and improving the filing and processing of new claims. A step-by-step guide is available to walk individuals through the process of filing, certifying and obtaining unemployment benefits at: http://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/main/covid-19-how-to-obtain-unemployment-ins-benefits/. Yesterday, a web portal went live that gives claimants the ability to check on the status of their claims at https://huiclaims2020.hawaii.gov/status. In addition, three distinct email addresses are available for claimants with specific challenges with their claims and are processed by the offices in Līhuʻe, Kona and Hilo:

• This email address is for those who would like to have their claim backdated. ui.backdate@hawaii.gov
• This email address is for those who have received an email, letter, or other message that says that they are disqualified from UI. ui.disqualified@hawaii.gov
• This email address is for those who would like to request language assistance from UI. Individuals are to submit their full name, telephone number (including area code), and the language that would like to receive interpretation services for.

Dlir.ui.languageassistance@hawaii.gov

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PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 15, 2020

Department of Health:

Clarification on McDonald’s COVID-19 Cluster Investigation

A cluster of cases involving 7 employees at two McDonald’s locations, Kona Commons and the Walmart in Kailua Kona, have recently been identified. The Dept. of Health wants to remind everyone that those numbers may change as the investigation into the primary case and their contacts continues. Once the COVID-19 cases were confirmed the establishment closed its operations at both locations and is currently performing enhanced cleaning. All employees who have tested positive are in isolation and potentially exposed employees without symptoms are self-quarantined at their homes. In addition, 5 family members exposed to 2 of the confirmed employees have tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total count of this cluster to 12, at this time, including employees (7) and their close contacts (5). The investigation is ongoing at this time and more cases may be identified related to this cluster.

Based on findings thus far, DOH does not believe this outbreak poses a risk to the general public. The department is continuing to work with the food establishment to ensure all possible precautions are being taken to prevent further spread of disease and that any close contacts of those confirmed are being closely monitored for any immediate changes to their health. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has thus far found no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19.

“The health and safety of our employees and customers is our number one priority. Our organization is continuing to make changes to restaurant operations to serve food safely and conveniently with the health and well-being of restaurant employees top of mind. We have closed our Kona Commons and McDonald’s of Walmart Kona locations for deep cleaning to conduct a comprehensive sanitization of the restaurant. Our thoughts are with our crew members who have been impacted by COVID-19 and we look forward to re-opening when it is safe to do so and with the assistance of the Hawaii Department of Health in accordance with CDC regulations,” said McDonald’s franchise owner, Patrick Lim of the Lim Organization.

The DOH is working closely with the Lim Organization to investigate this localized community spread of COVID-19 among all employees at the Kailua-Kona food establishment that may have been inadvertently exposed. Fortunately, the restaurant, like many other food establishments, had previously implemented social distancing measures to protect customers and prevent exposure prior to an employee testing positive. These measures included protective clear barriers between employees and customers during all transactions. These efforts may have helped to reduce the total magnitude of this cluster.

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest Addendum April 14, 2020