Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest July 31, 2020
Department of Health: 123 New Coronavirus Cases Includes 18 Children A third day of triple-digit case numbers is being reported by DOH and is the first time total cumulative cases have exceeded 2,000. The 123 newly diagnosed cases include 18 pediatric cases (18-years-old and younger) and follows 32 pediatric cases reported yesterday. Public health authorities continue to remind everyone to be kind and to act with care, as not only do we need to protect our kupuna, but everyone we love and cherish, including our keiki. Please, each of us must act as if we have the virus and [...]
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest July 30, 2020
Office of the Governor: SB126 Signing and Line Item Veto Gov. Ige held a news briefing Thursday to announce he has signed Senate Bill 126, with modifications. The governor said his primary concern was to expend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding before it expired at the end of the year and to ensure maximum flexibility to use the funds where it is needed most. The vetoes include; A $90 million appropriation for airport screenings and health assurance initiatives. Gov. Ige pointed out Department of Transportation believes that $70 million will be sufficient for equipment [...]
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest July 29, 2020
Office of the Governor: Spike in Cases Remind Community to Stay Vigilant, Reinstating Measures Being Considered At a news briefing Wednesday, Gov. Ige addressed the latest spike in COVID-19 cases. He said while the State is concerned about the high numbers, it was anticipated because the State laboratory was not testing during Hurricane Douglas. DOH reported a total of 109 cases overnight. Gov. Ige also assured the public the spike is manageable, and Hawai‘i still has adequate healthcare capacity. However, he is now proposing counties reinstate some measures in coordination with the State in an effort to reduce the spread [...]
New record number of COVID-19 cases reported due to testing delays
Number of COVID-19 Cases Top 100 HONOLULU – The number of COVID-19 cases reported Wednesday have hit another single-day record, although the State had been anticipating the increase due to lab closures on Sunday and Monday after Hurricane Douglas. The case count for today stands at a total of 109; 98 on O‘ahu, nine (9) on Maui, and two (2) on Kaua‘i. A total of 5,160 tests were processed between Saturday and today. Normally, about 1,000-2,000 tests are processed each day. “The dramatic increase in cases reported today was anticipated based on recent trends since the Fourth of July [...]
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest July 28, 2020
Department of Health: 47 New Cases of Coronavirus Reported All but one of the newly diagnosed coronavirus cases reported by DOH are on O‘ahu. There was a single new case on Maui. Of the 46 total cases, 41 are among adults and six are pediatric cases. Community-associated infection has been identified in eight (8) of the new cases, while travel-association is in two (2). The source of infection for the remaining 37 cases is still under investigation. Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, July 28, 2020 Island of Diagnosis New Cases Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases) Total [...]
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest July 27, 2020
Governor’s Office: Hawai‘i Honored to be Considered by Japan in List of Global Destinations to Resume Safe International Travel Governor David Ige and House Speaker Scott Saiki today expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for Hawai‘i being mentioned along with an exclusive list of 12 countries and regions that are being considered to resume safe international travel with Japan. Prime Minister Abe and Foreign Minister Motegi announced that international travel between Japan and the 12 destinations is being considered in the near future with Europe and Hawai‘i to follow in the [...]
Health investigators search for bar patrons for contact tracing
HONOLULU – Public health authorities from the Dept. of Health (DOH) are advising anyone who may have patronized two Honolulu bars to step forward and contact their physicians for follow-up. The two bars involved are Brix & Bones located at 1217 Hopaka St. and Arena 808 located at 1020 Ke‘eaumoku St., and the time-period of visits is between July 16-26. So far five (5) cases of COVID-19 are associated with exposure to the virus at these establishments. In addition, as many as seven (7) positive cases are potentially associated with these clusters. State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said, “Given [...]
Third consecutive day of record COVID-19 cases
Hundreds in Quarantine or Isolation Affirm Shelter-in-Place Plans HONOLULU – As Tropical Cyclone Douglas approaches, across the state 625 people, currently in isolation or quarantine due to exposure to someone or being positive for COVID-19, have affirmed they will shelter-in-place. With record new cases today, it’s expected the number of people in isolation or quarantine will rise by the end of the day. The Hawai‘i Department of Health contacted these individuals yesterday and at that time, they indicated they do not intend to seek accommodations at a public shelter. Today, DOH reports a new single-day record case count of [...]
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest July 24, 2020
Governor’s Office: Modified Quarantine Rules in Place During Tropical Cyclone The State of Hawai‘i’s mandatory 14-day quarantine rule for travelers is being modified temporarily in consideration of the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Douglas. Governor David Ige said, “I want to make sure that those in quarantine are adequately prepared per the state recommendations. If you are in quarantine, to the extent possible, please have supplies and materials delivered and lean on friends and family to help build your supply kit. As a last resort, you are allowed to break quarantine, but only to procure necessary supplies and materials. Please [...]
Social media influencer arrested for quarantine violations
HONOLULU – A 20-year-old woman from Birmingham, Alabama was arrested this morning by Special Agents from the Investigations Division of the Dept. of the Attorney General. Anne S. Salamanca arrived in Honolulu on July 6, and four days later, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) learned she was out in public breaking the State’s mandatory 14-day quarantine. HTA informed the AG Special Agents, who were provided videos showing her dancing in a store and out dining with companions. KITV reported yesterday that Salamanca has millions of social media followers and claimed in a video that a law enforcement officer told [...]