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Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 11, 2020

Department of Health:

Ninth COVID-19 Death Reported

A woman, over 65-years-old is the ninth death from COVID-19. She had underlying medical conditions and had tested positive for the virus when she was hospitalized on O‘ahu. The Dept. of Health extends its heartfelt condolences to the friends and family or our latest neighbor to pass from this disease. Twenty (20) adults and one minor (1) are among the new cases of COVID-19 being reported by DOH. Of this number, sixteen (16) are Hawai‘i residents, two (2) are non-residents, and three (3) cases are of unknown residence, pending investigation. Eleven (11) cases are community-spread, while ten (10) are unknown, and none are associated with travel. Lana‘i remains the only island with no reported cases.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested

by Clinical and State Laboratories

Positive

Negative

17,747

484

17,228

35 test results were inconclusive

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 11, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
O‘ahu	5	348	223
Hawai‘i	3	34	25
Maui	14	78	40
Kaua‘i	0	19	12
Moloka‘i	0	2	Included in Maui numbers
Lana‘i	0	0	Included in Maui numbers
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Unknown**	-1	3
Total	21	486
Total released from isolation			300
Deaths	1	9

** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown island 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 an island.

Sentinel Testing Continues

To date, 925 specimens have been tested, of which 17 (1.8%) have been positive to date. Surveillance findings for the previous week have been assessed weekly since the program began in the 2^nd week of March to determine the geographic spread of community associated COVID-19 in combination with severity of influenza-like illness activity. The COVID-19 Sentinel Surveillance program is operated based on the framework of the existing influenza surveillance program. Healthcare providers should continue to evaluate patients with respiratory illness and order influenza diagnostic testing as clinically indicated. They are asked to send the DOH influenza requisition form (used for both the influenza and COVID-19 surveillance programs) and submit with respiratory specimens collected for a clinical diagnosis of influenza-like illness, to facilitate DOH’s investigations. Reporting on the sentinel surveillance is provided weekly as part of the DOH Flu/Respiratory Disease Surveillance Report at:

https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/resources/reports/influenza-reports/.

Medical Facility Cases Remain Under Investigation

DOH is emphasizing that the cluster of cases at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) is not a hospital-wide issue at-this-time but involves at least two wards with the Chronic Care Ward as the major focus. Ninety (90) staff and 36 patients have been screened and had a swab specimen collected for testing. At this time 29 people have tested positive for COVID-19, although some appear to be separate introductions and not necessarily MMMC/healthcare associated infections. While the investigation at MMMC is continuing, DOH will be supporting MMMC in notifying patients who have recently been discharged or treated and may be associated with the affected wards and staff.

Physical Distancing Remains as Critical Measure Easter Weekend

The State continues to remind everyone to practice proper physical distancing measures this holiday weekend and follow Gov. Ige’s stay-at-home order. Health professionals advise staying six feet apart from others, in addition to frequent hand washing, is the most important thing we can all do to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While cloth masks can help prevent the spread from you to another person, they are not a substitute for physical distancing. County and state law enforcement agencies are stepping up patrols and enforcement of stay-at-home orders and physical distancing recommendations this weekend. Free, downloadable, multi-lingual (additional languages are being translated) physical distancing posters and infographics are available here:

Posters:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hxrw6r9wl9hqfjp/AADsTo0FBLI_ol3ol5yUQD4ba?dl=0

Infographics: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wubwnxooahmeclv/AACsVpSBkK3BzNsGCWVxwK5ka?dl=0

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Passengers Arrivals for Friday, April 10

Yesterday, 424 people arrived in Hawai‘i including 104 visitors and 135 residents. Thursday marked two weeks since the state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started for all passengers arriving in Hawai‘i from out of state. Those who arrived on March 26th, 27^th and 28^th no longer need to self-quarantine. The quarantine order was expanded on April 1^st 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

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew		8	99	2	109
Intended New Resident			48		48
Resident		9	124		135
Transit			28		28
Visitor		4	94	6	104
Grand Total	0	21	393	10	424
Flights	0	1	10	1	12

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs:

State Urges Hawaiʻi Colleges to Disburse Emergency Cash Grants for Students

The DCCA is encouraging Hawaiʻi’s accredited colleges to figure out how they will distribute the U.S. Department of Education’s cash grants provided by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. The grants were authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and allows schools to help cover expenses for students that had their education disrupted due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Expenses may include, but aren’t limited to course materials, technology, food, housing, healthcare, and childcare. Bobbi Lum-Mew, Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program Administrator said, “We want to ensure that these colleges and universities are working quickly to get funding to the students who need it the most. We encourage them to take action so that affected students can continue their education without worry.” The Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program will be requesting authorized institutions to submit information on how they are disbursing the U.S. Department of Education cash grants, to ensure they’re distributing the funds in accordance with applicable laws. For information on COVID-19’s impact on higher education, visit the HPEAP website at http://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/main/covid19 /

Updated Guidance for Paycheck Protection Program Loan Applications

In response to the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) recent announcement regarding additional requirements and amended loan processing timelines for loan originating banks and financial institutions processing the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the DCCA Division of Financial Institutions provides further guidance to assist businesses with the necessary information to ensure PPP applications are processed quickly. “The updates in practice requires banks and financial institutions to fund PPP loans within 10 days otherwise loans granted through the program may not be guaranteed or may be denied by the Small Business Administration,” says Iris Ikeda, Commissioner of Financial Institutions. “We want to make sure our small businesses get their PPP loan funds soon. Our local banks need the documentation to validate the businesses meet the requirements of the PPP loan program.”

To process additional due diligence aligned to the SBA certifications, local institutions may require additional loan application documentation that was previously not required in the initial PPP applications. Prospective applicants are encouraged to provide the all of the documentation when applying for a PPP loan, and those who have previously applied are strongly encouraged to contact your loan originator to provide updated documentation.

More details and information about the program are available on the United States Treasury website:

https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/top-priorities/cares-act/assistance-for-small-businesses. Borrower’s fact sheet:

https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP–Fact-Sheet.pdf.

Hawai‘i State Senate:

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Donates $1M for Kaua‘i COVID-19 Relief

Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi is thanking Priscilla Chan, Mark Zuckerberg, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for their donation of $1 million towards relief efforts on Kaua‘i caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This generous donation includes $250,000 to support the courageous team at Wilcox Medical Center in its efforts to provide health care during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senate President Kouchi. “The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative donation will also support food supplies, rent assistance, and educational needs on Kaua‘i. According to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, grants have been awarded to Wilcox Medical Center and the Hawai`i Community Foundation (HCF) to be distributed via the Chan Zuckerberg Kaua`i Community Fund to organizations supporting COVID-19 relief efforts. A donation was also given to `Aina Ho`okupu O Kīlauea.

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 11, 2020

Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 10, 2020

April 10, 2020
by Jackson

Governor’s Office:

Two Additional Deaths Reported

In response to the news today about two additional fatalities, Gov. David Ige said, “This is another sad day for Hawaiʻi. On behalf of our entire community, I would like to express my condolences to the families and friends of two more of our neighbors who lost their lives to COVID-19. Please accept my deepest sympathy and support during this difficult time.”

State Reminding Everyone to Practice Physical Distancing During Easter Weekend

With Easter weekend coming up, the state is reminding everyone to remain at home and continue practicing physical distancing. Gov. Ige commented, “This Sunday is Easter. It’s a time we usually spend celebrating with family and friends and watching the kids hunt Easter eggs in the backyard. But these are not normal times, and I cannot stress enough the need to remain vigilant. Enjoy your Easter. But continue your physical distancing. Do not gather in large groups. Stay at home and use this time to reflect on what you can do as individuals to flatten the curve, help our neighbors and protect our community.” The stay-at-home order for the state is currently in effect until Apr. 30, 2020.

Department of Health:

Two Additional Deaths Reported, 23 New Positive Cases

Two additional COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing the total number of deaths in the State of Hawaiʻi to eight. The 7^th death was an older adult woman from Honolulu who was medically frail and hospitalized. The 8^th death was an elderly male hospitalized at Maui Memorial Medical Center in the Chronic Care Unit. The total number of deaths now stands at eight (8). There are also 23 new cases for a total number since Feb. 28 of 465 cases. The City and County of Honolulu saw nine (9) additional cases; Hawai‘i County has three (3) new cases; and Maui County has nine (9) new cases, and the County of Kaua‘i has one (1) new case.

Laboratory Testing

The Department of Health (DOH) supports testing of individuals with symptoms and is not advocating mass testing at this time. DOH’s current recommendations align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only certain people with COVID-19-like symptoms such as fever or cough need to be tested. People who have COVID-19-like symptoms and who have chronic medical conditions or are older should be tested because they’re at risk for severe disease and knowing whether they have COVID-19 may affect their healthcare treatment. Most other people who are sick do not need to be tested since many will have mild illness and are able to recover at home, so testing will not change their treatment or the need to stay home until they are well.

In general, DOH recommends testing only symptomatic persons because laboratories are facing ongoing shortages of kits and consumable supplies. Personal protective equipment (PPE) required to collect specimens and to perform testing are also in critically short supply. Indiscriminate use will further shortages placing healthcare and laboratory personnel at risk for infection. Close contacts who adhere to 14-day quarantine rules will effectively minimize their risk to others. Testing asymptomatic contacts will not change or shorten their quarantine requirement. Testing of asymptomatic persons should be reserved for selected situations as guided by specific public health or infection control objectives (e.g., to implement cohorting during a nursing home outbreak).

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
16,752	462	16,269

21 test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 10, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	9	343	211
Hawai‘i	3	31	25
Maui	9	64	36
Kaua‘i	1	19	12
Moloka’i	0	2
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Unknown**	1	4
Total	23	465
Total released from isolation			284
Deaths	2	8

** 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.

Maui Memorial Medical Center Case Numbers Grow

Four additional cases connected with the Maui Memorial Medical Center have been announced. Three were healthcare workers, the other was a patient. This brings the total number of cases associated with the hospital to 19. Over Easter weekend, the Dept. of Health will continue to conduct contact-tracing, notify anyone else who may have been exposed, and supply additional personal protective equipment to hospital healthcare workers.

Multi-Language Physical Distancing Images Now Available For Social Media

Online images reminding everyone to practice physical distancing are now available online for anyone to use for social media. The images fit size dimensions for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. They’re also available in English, Hawaiian, and Japanese. Everyone is encouraged to download the free images and share them on social media to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Download the images here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f3crddhm1dvx1e0/AADYxpbepZ5d_dpKPWFopOJHa?dl=0

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

663 Passengers Arrive in Hawai‘i on Thursday

Yesterday, 663 people arrived at Hawai‘i airports. This includes 107 visitors and 171 residents. Mandatory 14-day, self-quarantine is required for all passengers arriving from out of state and also covers interisland travelers. 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	87		99
Intended New Resident			45		45
Resident	23	9	139		171
Transit			241		241
Visitor	4	3	100		107
Grand Total	33	18	612	0	663
Flights	1	1	11	0	13

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4435/041020-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Hawaiʻi “Safe Travels” App Launches

A new web-based app called “Safe Travels” is being rolled out to allow travelers who are subject to the 14-day quarantine in the State of Hawaiʻi to fill out the information required to travel electronically, including where they’re staying, prior to their trip. The Department of Taxation worked with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to roll out the system on Apr. 10. Once travellers get to a Hawaiʻi airport, they’ll have to show proof they completed their registration and provide some form of identification. After that, they’ll be expected to check-in daily during their mandatory 14-day quarantine. https://safetravels.hawaii.gov/

Department of Agriculture:

Emergency Farmer Relief Program

The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is currently reviewing requests for assistance under the COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Program which offers some financial assistance to qualified farmers, ranchers and producers who have experienced damage to their operations due to COVID-19. The funds for the program, totaling $250,000, are being utilized from the State’s barrel tax fund (Agriculture Development and Food Security Special Fund) which was made available through Gov. David Ige’s March 4 emergency proclamation. Relief funds may be used to help utilize an oversupply of agricultural products resulting from the decreased demand due to closures of restaurants, schools and other businesses. Applications were accepted until March 27 and 333 proposals were received, requesting a total of more than $1.1 million dollars. However, since the available program funding totaled just $250,000, proposals are currently being reviewed and prioritized for distribution. Under the emergency program, eligible applicants including individual farming operations may receive a maximum of $2,000. Also, non-profit organizations, commodity groups, agricultural associations with 501(c)(3) status may apply for a maximum of $10,000 in relief funds. The review and award process is expected to be completed next week and funds are expected to be sent out later this month. “The overwhelming number of requests is an indication on how this crisis is severely impacting Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industries,” said Gov. David Ige. “This COVID-19 situation makes us all more appreciative of our local food producers and acutely underscores why increasing our state’s food security has been so very important.”

https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/blog/main/nr20-03covid19relief/

Department of Public Safety:

Inmates Sew Cloth Masks for Public Safety Department Staff and Community

Inmates in the sewing program at the Waiawa Correctional Facility (WCF) and Kulani Correctional Facility (KCF) have begun to sew thousands of cloth masks for Public Safety Department staff, inmates, and other state agencies as a way to prevent COVID-19 from spreading and to give back to the community. The sewing project began on Apr. 1, with the assistance of the Hawaii Correctional Industries (HCI), which supplied the fabric, sewing supplies and sewing machines for the inmates. Work lines are currently producing 600-700 cloth masks per day with a goal of increasing that number to 1,200 masks a day by Apr. 17. The Public Safety Department currently does not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any of its facilities.

https://dps.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PSD-RELEASE-Inmates-sewing-cloth-masks-4.10.20.pdf

The Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives:

House Select Committee on COVID-19 Schedules Fourth Informational Briefing

The House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness has scheduled its third informational briefing on the economic impacts of the crisis on Hawai‘i on Monday, April 13, beginning at 10 a.m. To comply with physical distancing restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the briefing is not open to the public and no public testimony will be accepted. The hearing will be available statewide on community television: ‘Olelo, Nā Leo TV, Akakū and Hō‘ike Community Television. Livestreaming is available at:

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

For more information about the committee and to see related documents go to:

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

# # #

PDF: COVID 19 Daily News Digest April 10, 2020

Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 9, 2020

Department of Health:

DOH Reports Seven (7) New Cases

The rate of positive COVID-19 cases remains steady at 2.7% of tests. Seven (7) new cases are being reported, all in adults, for a total number since Feb. 28 of 442 cases. Honolulu saw six (6) additional cases; Hawai‘i Island has two (2) new cases; and Maui has three (3) new cases.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
16,070	440	15,612

18 test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 9, 2020

County of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	6	334	105
Hawai‘i	2	28	2
Maui++	3	57	17
Kaua‘i	0	18	4
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Unknown**	-4	3	113
Total	7	442
Total released from isolation			251
Deaths	0	6

++ Includes two positive case on Molokai.

Facemasks for Toddlers & Babies?

Someone recently asked, “Should face masks be worn by young children or babies?

Dr. Janet Berreman, DOH Kaua‘i District Health Officer provided this response,

“It’s important to remember that masks only protect others from you…they do not protect the mask wearer. Young infants generally do not generate powerful coughs like adults do, so their respiratory droplets do not travel 3-6 ft. like those of adults. Young infants don’t pose the same risk to those around them. Of concern would be the potential for obstructing normal breathing in infants less than one-year old. I would not recommend using masks on young infants. And again, the mask does not protect the baby. So, yes it’s better for infants and all of us to stay at home.”

Update on Pride of America Cruise Ship Cases

DOH continues to monitor a cluster of COVID-19 cases, among crew members on the Pride of America cruise ship, currently docked in Honolulu. Seven (7) crew are in isolation after testing positive. Their close contacts have also been placed in quarantine. Anyone on the ship who had symptoms or develops symptoms associated with COVID-19 will be tested immediately. The ship is following strict physical distancing procedures, recommended by the CDC and DOH, and reviewed with the ship’s officers. Offboarding of approximately 300 healthy crew members is continuing as safely as possible. These people will be masked and will proceed directly to the airport to travel to their home where they will self-quarantine for 14 days. A minimal crew of approximately 200 people will remain on board to sail the ship to the mainland and into dry dock.

Volunteers Help Assemble PPE

Dozens of volunteers from across O‘ahu gathered at the Neil Blaisdell Convention Center today to help assemble personal protective equipment (PPE) purchased by DOH. The PPE arrived last week, unassembled, and over a dozen community groups rose to the challenge and called on their volunteers to come help put the 4,000 PPE together. The equipment will be offered to essential workers on the front lines of the state’s COVID-19 outbreak response, in Honolulu and on the neighbor islands. The organizations that sent volunteers included; DOH, Hawai‘i Children’s Action Network, Caring for Hawai‘i‘s Neonate’s, HI COVID-19 Task Forces, Bricklayers Union, Young Democrats, FACE, Mililani High School, Hawai‘i Firefighters Association, Hawai‘i cab nautical, Hawai‘i Medical Reserve Corps, Faith Action, and HMSA. Several people not associated with one of the groups also participated.

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

689 Passengers Arrive in Hawai‘i on Wednesday

Yesterday, 689 people arrived at Hawai‘i airports. This includes 107 visitors and 274 residents. Mandatory 14-day, self-quarantine is required for all passengers arriving from out of state and also covers interisland travelers. 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	1	7	115	2	125
Intended New Resident	4	6	31		41
Resident	33	3	196	12	274
Transit			141	1	142
Visitor	4	22	71	10	107
Grand Total	42	68	554	25	689
Flights	1	3	13	3	20

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4433/040920-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Department of Transportation:

Four O‘ahu Residents to Disembark Cruise Ship at Honolulu Harbor

Four O’ahu residents will be getting off a Pacific Princess cruise ship when it docks at Honolulu Harbor on Monday, Apr. 13, 2020. The ship was last at port in Melbourne, Australia on March 28, but no passengers or crew disembarked. There are no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 associated with the vessel. The ship will also have been at sea longer than the 14-day quarantine period. No one else will be allowed to get off the ship besides the four Hawai’i residents, and they will be medically vetted on board prior to disembarkation. After they’re cleared, they will be shuttled directly from the harbor to their residences where they’ll immediately begin a mandatory 14-day quarantine. The ship will refuel before leaving for its final destination in California.

Another ship, the Seabourn Sojurn, is scheduled to arrive six days later on Apr. 18, 2020, however no one will be allowed to get off that vessel. The Seabourn Sojurn was previously in Melbourne, Australia on March 29, 2020. No one left the vessel while at port. The ship will dock at Honolulu Harbor for fuel and provisions and is scheduled to leave Honolulu the same day it arrives.

https://hidot.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/04/09/four-oahu-residents-to-disembark-cruise-ship-at-honolulu-harbor/

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 9, 2020

Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 8, 2020

Governor’s Office:

Second COVID-19 Death on Maui Under Investigation

Investigators from the State Health Dept. are in the process of gathering details about the second Maui resident to pass away from COVID-19. This is an adult male over 65-years-old and is another stark reminder of the human toll this disease is exacting here in Hawai‘i. Governor Ige offered his personal condolences to the friends and family of the man who passed. This brings the total number of deaths from coronavirus statewide to six.

Maui Hospital Confirms 15 Employees Test Positive for COVID-19

Maui Memorial Medical Center has confirmed 15 of its workers have tested positive for COVID-19. The employees were immediately sent home to self-isolate and plans are being worked on to move these employees to a quarantine site away from their families. Additionally, other hospital workers will be tested for COVID-19. Gov. Ige commented, “This is a reminder to everyone that the virus doesn’t discriminate and everyone is vulnerable – including those who are taking care of the community.” Maui Mayor Mike Victorino also released a statement saying, “I want to mahalo everyone who is on the front lines of this pandemic. These are difficult times for all of us and we are taking immediate action to assist our healthcare workers. Maui County will be redirecting any available personal protective equipment to the hospital for its staff.” Everyone is reminded once again to follow the stay-at-home order, to abide by physical distancing measures and to wear a mask to protect others when needing to be around them. N95 masks and other medical grade masks should be reserved for healthcare professionals and other first responders.

Former HECO President Appointed as Economic Recovery and Resiliency Navigator

Gov. David Ige has appointed a well-known business leader to head-up Hawai‘i’s efforts in developing a plan for economic and community stabilization, recovery and resiliency. Alan Oshima, former President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Co., has been appointed to the newly-created role of Economic Recovery and Resiliency Navigator. Oshima will lead a collaborative effort of government and business interests, non-profit organizations, and the community in developing and implementing the Hawai‘i Economic and Community Recovery Resiliency Plan. Oshima is currently the senior executive advisor for HECO. He started that position in February, after spending five years as HECO’s president and chief executive. Commenting on the new position, Gov. Ige said, “This is an important step to address the state’s immediate needs while working on a path to economic recovery.”

Public-Private Partnership Secures PPE for Service Providers

Several community nonprofits are partnering with the State of Hawai‘i to secure donations of homemade and unopened store-bought personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, goggles and face shields, and distribute them to behavioral health workers and social service providers statewide, to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Three drop-off and distribution sites, or “resilience hubs,” have been organized and will open on O‘ahu on Thursday, April 9. The effort is a public-private partnership with the Hawai‘i Department of Health, the Office of the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness, the Hawai‘i Department of Human Services, and three nonprofit providers who will operate the hubs: KROC Center in Kapolei, KEY Project in Kahalu‘u and YMCA in Kalihi. Funds for the effort were donated from BlackSand Capital into the Hawai‘i Resilience Fund, with a match from The Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

In the future the resilience hubs will also begin accepting supplies such as bleach, hand sanitizer, paper towels and toilet paper. The public can drop off items Monday through Friday during set times at each resilience hub or contact the facility to schedule a delivery during different hours. The effort begins tomorrow on O‘ahu, with statewide distribution of the donated supplies. Expansion of additional hubs on the Neighbor Islands is being discussed.

KROC Center in Kapolei

91-3257 Kualakai Parkway, Ewa Beach, HI 96706

Drop-off hours: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

(808) 682-5505

Opens: Thursday, April 9, 2020

KEY Project

47-200 Waihee Road, Kaneohe, HI 96744

Drop-off hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

(808) 239-5777

Opens: Thursday, April 9, 2020

Kalihi YMCA

1335 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819

Drop-off hours: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

(808) 848-2494

Opens: Thursday, April 9, 2020

“As the pandemic continues, ensuring continuity of care of our behavioral health and homelessness services system is vital because of the pandemic’s economic, social and psychological impacts,” said Scott Morishige, the Governorʻs Coordinator on Homelessness. To learn more about this initiative or for other ways to provide community support during the pandemic, please visit the Behavioral Health and Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group (BHH-SURG) website at https://bhhsurg.hawaii.gov/.

Lt. Governor’s Office:

Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, State COVID-19 Healthcare Liaison, provided an update today during the 2:30 p.m. daily news briefing:

Statewide Hospital Capacity Update as of April 8, 2020

	Total	In Use	%
Hospital Beds	2,773	1,304	47%
ICU Beds	338	97	28.6%
Ventilators	535	65	12%
Individuals hospitalized	59

*Numbers based on reporting from hospitals and other healthcare facilities statewide.

Department of Health:

Second Death on Maui and 25 New COVID-19 Cases Statewide

The death of a Maui man, who was 65-years-old or older will not be counted in official DOH statistics until tomorrow, but is being investigated as the state’s sixth death from COVID-19, and Maui’s second. His passing is also not included in today’s count of new cases, which includes 25 additional adults, 14 of whom are Hawai‘i residents. Five (5) are non-Hawai‘i residents and place of residence for six (6) others is unknown.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
15,566	433	15,177

16 test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 8, 2020

County of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	16	328	83
Hawai‘i	3	26	9
Maui++	6	54	14
Kaua‘i	0	18	7
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Unknown**	0	7	113
Total	25	435	85

Deaths*	1*	6

* Deaths reported after 12:00 midnight are included in the following days official report.

++ Includes two positive case on Molokai.

Updated Multi-Language Physical Distancing Posters Available

Revised posters reminding everyone to practice physical distancing are now available online for anyone to use. The posters are written in English, Hawaiian, and Japanese, and are free to download. Everyone is encouraged to print the posters out and hang them for others to see to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Download the posters here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f3crddhm1dvx1e0/AADYxpbepZ5d_dpKPWFopOJHa?dl=0

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

654 Passengers Arrive in Hawai‘i on Tuesday

Yesterday, 654 people arrived at Hawai‘i airports. This includes 160 visitors and 239 residents. Mandatory 14-day, self-quarantine is required for all passengers arriving from out of state and also covers interisland travelers. 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	14	104	6	131
Intended New Resident	6		67		73
Resident	34	24	178	3	239
Transit	1	2	48		51
Visitor	31	9	111	9	160
Grand Total	79	49	508	18	654
Flights	3	3	13	1	20

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4426/040820-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Department of Defense:

Hawai‘i National Guard (HING) Confirms First Positive COVID-19 Cases

Two Hawai’i National Guardsmen have tested positive for COVID-19. The Guardsmen were not part of the Guard activation or in the Joint Task Force supporting various missions around the state during the pandemic. The first case involves an Airman with the Hawai‘i Air National Guard – who works a full-time civilian job. The second involves a Hawai‘i Army National Guard member, who works full-time in the HING, but started tele-working in March. Both members are in good condition and are being monitored by their medical providers. In response to the cases, Hawai‘i National Guard Deputy Adjutant General Col. Stephen Logan said, “The Hawai‘i National Guard is a big ‘ohana and it hurt us when two of our own tested positive during this unprecedented time. We will support these two Guardsmen and their families during this time of need.”

Department of Land and Natural Resources

State Conservation Officers Cite 34 People For COVID-19 Rules Violations

Over the past few weeks, on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i Island, officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) have cited 34 people for violations of State Parks rules, self-quarantine and the governor’s stay-at-home orders, associated with the COVID-19 crisis. Hawai‘i Island DOCARE Officers cited a 28-year-old Kailua-Kona woman, for Entering a Closed Area within Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area which had been closed by the DLNR Division of State Parks. A 31-year-old Russian was cited for violating terms of the State’s self- quarantine order, after being observed operating a small dinghy in an erratic manner at Waiākea Public Fishing Area in Hilo. A subsequent investigation revealed he had arrived in the Port of Hilo aboard a sailing vessel and had already been given the self-quarantine order by the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation-Harbors Division. On Kaua‘i, DOCARE Officers have cited ten people for violating State Park closures at Kalalau, Polihale, Kōkeʻe, ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls and Wailua River State Parks. DOCARE Enforcement Chief Jason Redulla noted, “In addition to these violations, aimed at keeping everyone safe during this crisis, DOCARE Officers conducting law enforcement operations recently at the long-closed Sacred Falls State Park cited ten (10) individuals. Not only were they violating stay-at-home orders and closed-area laws, they were putting their lives and the lives of emergency first-responders at risk. The park is closed for good reason.” Eight people lost their lives and dozens of others were injured in a May 1999 landslide. Redulla noted that many of the citations happened on a day when all of O‘ahu was under a flash flood watch. At Diamond Head State Monument on O‘ahu a dozen people have been issued citations for entering the park while closed.

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Banking and Financial Resources Available For COVID-19

The DCCA is encouraging the public to contact their financial institutions and government agencies if they need financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes individuals and small businesses. Nearly $2.2 trillion is being released as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help during this time. Of that money – $349 billion will be made available for small business loans – and can be used to pay employees, cover healthcare benefits, loan and repayments, and utilities. Starting Apr. 10, independent contractors and self-employed individuals will also be able to apply.

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 8, 2020

Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 7, 2020

Governor’s Office:

Honolulu Repurposes ‘Ohana Zone Funds for Additional Help for People Experiencing Homelessness

Utilizing State ‘Ohana Zone funds, the City and County of Honolulu today announced the rapid deployment of its HONU (Homeless Outreach and Navigation for the Unsheltered) program, which provides short-term shelter and triage services to people experiencing homelessness. Due to the impacts of COVID-19 both the State and the City have recognized the need for more immediate shelter options that implement physical distancing measures. HONU resources are being directed to the City’s new Provisional Outdoor Screening and Triage (POST) facility at

Ke‘ehi Lagoon. POST will provide meals, hygiene and security. The Honolulu Police Dept. offered the concept of the POST facility which will serve as a resource for homeless individuals needing temporary shelter and access to hygiene and other basic needs. The city repurposed a portion of its $6 million ‘Ohana Zone contract with the State to meet the immediate crisis needs of the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. Services provided by the POST facilitiy are consistent with the intent of ‘Ohana Zone funds to offer flexible and low-barrier services to people experiencing homelessness.

Lt. Governor’s Office:

Many people were tested on Moloka‘i today at a COVID-19 drive-through testing site thanks to the efforts of Lt. Governor Josh Green, Dr. Scott Miscovich and the County of Maui. The event followed the diagnosis of two positive cases of the virus on the island over the past week. 500 tests kits were provided for the drive-through testing. Maui Mayor Michael Victorino said, “I want to deeply thank Lt. Gov. Green and Dr. Miscovich for stepping up to provide these test kits. We appreciate their quick response to the needs of our Moloka‘i residents as we face this pandemic together.”

https://www.mauicounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=9981

Department of Health:

Reported Hawai‘i COVID-19 Cases Exceeds 400

With the addition of 23 positive cases, Hawai‘i now has a total of 410 reported cases of COVID-19 since February 28, 2020. Of today’s cases, all are adults. DOH reports a decrease of traveler-associated cases, but investigators are looking at community-associated cases, primarily on O‘ahu and Maui. Three (3) of the most recent cases are travel-related, none are community-related and 20 are unknown. This is why the continued practice of physical distancing is so critical in flattening the curve of infection in the state. No new deaths have been reported and the total stands at five (5); two women and three men.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
14,981	408	14,560

18 test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 7, 2020

County of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	20	312	83
Hawai‘i	0	23	9
Maui++	4	48	14
Kaua‘i	1	18	7
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Unknown**	-2	7
Total	23	410	113

Deaths	0	5

++Includes two positive cases on Molokai.

*“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.

New Website for Mental Health and Homeless Service Providers

The Behavioral Health and Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group (BHHSURG) has launched a website to ensure the continuity of coverage of essential health and homelessness services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The website features resources for providers who work with mental health and homeless populations, including provider Q&A webinars, weekly newsletters, updates from partners, and guidance on using telehealth and personal protective equipment. The site also contains information for clients and consumers, such as guidance on everyday prevention and how to access services. The goal is to enable providers and the people they serve to find answers to common questions and to provide them with updates to behavioral health homelessness and other social services during this challenging crisis.

To view the website or to subscribe to the BHHSURG newsletter, visit bhhsurg.hawaii.gov.

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Fewer Flights, Fewer Arrivals at State Airports

On Monday, 513 people arrived in Hawai‘i, slightly fewer than the day before. This includes 133 visitors and 182 residents. Mandatory 14-day, self-quarantine is required for all passengers arriving from out of state and also covers interisland travelers. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday. Interisland travel table is below.

HAWAII PASSENGER ARRIVALS BY AIR FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE, APRIL 6, 2020

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew	2	3	120	2	127
Intended New Resident	3		46		49
Resident	8	6	163	5	182
Transit			22		22
Visitor	7	2	111	13	133
Grand Total	20	11	462	20	513
Flights	1	2	12	2	17

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4422/040720-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism:

Interisland Air Travel Stats

Latest numbers from DBEDT for arrivals April 4, 2020.

Arriving airport
Departing airport	HNL	KOA	ITO	OGG	LIH	MKK	LNY	LUP	JHM	TOTAL Departing
HNL	–	34	59	21	18	9	11			152
KOA		–
ITO			–
OGG	1			–						1
LIH					–			1		1
MKK						–
LNY				2			–
LUP								–
JHM									–
TOTAL Arriving	1	34	59	21	18	9	11	1		154

dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/covid19

Department of Defense:

National Guard Helps Kaua‘i Police at Checkpoints

Today, members of the Hawai‘i National Guard (HING) assisted officers from the Kaua‘i Police Dept. (KPD) at two monitoring/compliance checkpoints. The operation was to help check to see if people are abiding by both state and county emergency orders in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The collaboration is under the unified command of the COVID-19 incident management team of the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency. People who have essential work or activities are encouraged to consider additional travel time in anticipation of lengthy traffic delays as more routine checkpoints are planned. HING soldiers are not armed and all enforcement actions will be taken by KPD officers. A recent checkpoint on Kaumauali‘i Highway near Halfway Bridge saw nearly 4,000 vehicles pass through, with the majority of drivers saying their travel was essential. To review essential travel exemptions: http://kauai.gov/COVID-19

Hawai‘i State Senate:

Special Senate Committee on COVID-19 Meets Wednesday

The special committee will convene on Wednesday, April 8, to assess and advise the Senate regarding the State of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 plans and procedures.

Confirm the development of the state departmental plans and procedures;
Review and assess current state departmental plans and procedures;
Review and assess whether state departmental plans and procedures are properly and timely implemented to safeguard public health and safety; and
To communicate and disseminate information obtained therefrom.

The special committee will be meeting with Lt. Governor Josh Green, DOH Director Dr. Bruce Anderson, HI-EMA Incident Commander Kenneth Hara, and Ryker Wada, DHRD Director.

Watch via: `Ōlelo Channel 49

YouTube livestream: https://youtu.be/whQc_hol4QA

Hawai‘i House of Representatives:

House Select Committee Receives Reports on Economic Recovery

The House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness reviewed economic and financial preparedness for Hawaiʻi following the pandemic, during its third informational briefing yesterday. The committee first heard a report from the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaiʻi (UHERO), on its new report: How to Control Hawaii’s Coronavirus Epidemic and Bring back the Economy: The Next Steps.

The report spells out in detail how increased testing, comprehensive historical contact tracing, and isolation of exposed and infected individuals can lead to a rapid reduction in new infections and hospitalizations. According to economist Carl Bonham, once this system has been put in place and has operated successfully for several weeks, we may begin to approach several measurable targets — number of new infections, number of new hospitalizations, and the capacity of the health care system to treat newly infected or exposed individuals. This would enable Governor Ige to gradually relax stay-at-home orders and for individuals to gradually relax some physical distancing restrictions. Bonham said after the disease has been eliminated, the local economy will need to be reopened first, followed by the tourism economy. He said the worst-case scenario would be for the economy to reopen following the development of a vaccine in 12 to 18 months. A more optimistic forecast would be for the disease to be brought under control in about 45 days on the mainland. Bonham said that when Hawaiʻi is perceived as a safe place to visit, it could become the premier destination for U.S. travelers over then next year, but that Hawaiʻi residents must be reassured that any tourists are coronavirus free.

Read the full news release on the hearing: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QdlvHZX4_3U_o7_eAucc0K9Z97u4gvlb

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily Digest April 7, 2020

Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 6, 2020

Governor’s Office:

Governor Ige Extends Condolences to Family & Friends of Two More Who Died

Gov. David Ige, today, extended his deepest condolences to the familes and friends of the latest Hawai‘i residents who passed away due to COVID-19. The governor said it is with a heavy heart that one of our O‘ahu neighbors passed away on Saturday, and then another tragic loss with the passing of a Maui man. Governor Ige commented, “It is extremely heartbreaking each time we learn of another resident who passes away from this virus. We are reminded daily of the devastating effect this virus is having here at home and across the country, where it is devastating communities in states like New York, Washington, Louisiana and California.” He said, “We can’t let this happen here. We need to stop the spread. We need to stop it now.

The coronavirus has no boundaries.” (more below on additional efforts being introduced across the state)

Lt. Governor’s Office:

Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, State COVID-19 Healthcare Liaison, provided an update today during the 2:30 p.m. daily news briefing:

Statewide Hospital Capacity Update as of April 6, 2020

	Total	In Use	%
Hospital Beds	2,757	1,331	48%
ICU Beds	338	106	31.3%
Ventilators	535	81	15%
Individuals hospitalized	56

*Numbers based on reporting from hospitals and other healthcare facilities statewide.

Testing for Critical Infrastructure Workers

A medical team has been established in partnership with the Emergency Operations Center to complete COVID-19 testing for critical infrastructure workers. This team is comprised of healthcare workers from across the state and will immediately activate to test critical infrastructure workers, like healthcare providers, EMS, police, firefighters and other others, should they be exposed to a COVID-19 positive case without wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) or develop COVID-19 symptoms themselves. This team is an essential resource in the fight against COVID-19 because it allows quick identification and isolation of possible cases of Hawaii’s front-line workers.

Fabric Masks Reminder

Lt. Gov. Green is among the state leaders pleased to see the community helping one another when it comes to cloth masks. As a reminder, cloth masks do not prevent individuals from contracting the virus. As such, it’s important for people to continue to stay home, follow shelter-in-place orders and continue social distancing practices in public, even if they’re wearing a cloth mask.

Domestic Violence Cases on the Rise

Individuals needing support can contact the Hawaii Department of Health hotline via text at 605-956-5680 or phone call at 808-531-3771. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For assistance outside those hours, individuals can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which is available 24/7, at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

In an emergency, call 9-1-1.

https://health.hawaii.gov/injuryprevention/home/violence-abuse-prevention/information/

Department of Health:

First Maui Death Reported

A Maui man, over 65-years-old is the fifth person in Hawai‘i to pass away from COVID-19. DOH is still investigating the circumstances behind the man’s death but it’s believed he had underlying medical conditions. He did have exposure to travelers, but it’s not known whether this was a risk factor associated with his death. One (1) of the new cases is a minor (below 18-years-old) and the other 15 are adults. Five (5) of the new reported cases are travel-associated, two (2) are community related, and nine (9) are unknown at this time. There is a total of 387 cases reported in Hawai’i since Feb. 28, 2020.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
13,948	385	13,545

18 test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 6, 2020

County of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	11	292	64
Hawai‘i	1	23	9
Maui++	1	44	11
Kaua‘i	1	17	5
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Unknown**	2	9	89
Total	16	387	85

Deaths	1	5

++Includes two positive case on Molokai.

Fabric Face Masks Are No Substitute For Physical Distancing

Residents throughout the State are volunteering to take steps to further reduce the spread of COVID 19 in Hawaiʻi. After the 14-day self-quarantine order for any out-of-state and inter-island traveler, fewer cases are being reported associated with travel. Only two days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided guidance on the use of hand-made or store-bought fabric/cloth masks, many more people are wearing them. Across the State, more customers and staff at pharmacies, supermarkets, and take-out food establishments are wearing cloth masks. Over the weekend, numerous local and national chain stores established controls on how many customers can enter a store at one time. “We’re very pleased to see how quickly people are responding. We encourage all stores to immediately implement physical distancing measures, throughout their businesses, not just at the check-out counters. Wearing a cloth or fabric mask complements other mitigation measures and can help prevent transmission of the disease to others,” said Bruce Anderson, DOH Director.

https://health.hawaii.gov/news/submenu/hawaii-department-of-health-reminds-everyone-that-face-masks-are-no-substitute-of-physical-distancing/

Storefront Posters Being Distributed Today Online

To encourage continuation of physical distancing practices that will flatten the curve of new COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i, the COVID-19 Joint Information Center has produced 8X10, printable store-front posters. Business owners who have direct contact with customers are being encouraged to post these posters at all entrances – to clarify that while masks are good to help protect others from spreading the virus, social distancing is GREAT and in addition to hand washing remains the most important step everyone can take to avoid disease transmission. Download the poster here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f3crddhm1dvx1e0/AADYxpbepZ5d_dpKPWFopOJHa?dl=0

Only People with Symptoms Should be Tested

The DOH continues to support CDC guidance that only individuals with COVID-19 symptoms and only at the direction of their personal health care professional should be tested for the virus. Dr. Bruce Anderson, DOH Director said, “There is recent evidence of pre-symptomatic transmission, but we are not relaxing our testing requirements. Only those people who are symptomatic should be tested to avoid overtaxing private clinical labs and in recognition that there is a national shortage of testing kits and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to protect healthcare workers who collect the specimens and lab workers who run the tests.”

Department of Transportation:

National Guard Begins Conducting Medical Screenings at Airports

Early this morning the Hawai‘i National Guard began supporting HDOT with the medical screening of incoming and departing passengers as well as airline crews at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and Hilo International Airport. Guard support for other state airports will be starting soon. Honolulu airport firefighters trained Guardsmen on their first day of this support mission. For departing passengers today, one of the locations that the Guardsmen conducted temporal scanning was in front of the TSA security area at Terminal 1. “HDOT is grateful for the help and support of the Hawaiʻi National Guard members who are working to keep the public safe at our airports and in the community,” said Director Jade Butay, Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation. “Passenger volumes remain down 99 percent from this time last year and the few who are traveling are having their temperature taken as another layer of precaution.”

Video: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/746060/hawaii-national-guard-start-medical-screening-airports-hawaii-during-covid-19-pandemic

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Airline Arrivals Drop by 100 Passengers Saturday-to-Sunday

On Sunday, 583 people arrived in Hawai‘i, 100 fewer than the previous day. This includes 126 visitors and 233 residents. Mandatory 14-day, self-quarantine is required for all passengers arriving from out of state and also covers interisland travelers. 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	14	16	114	7	151
Intended New Resident	6		29		35
Resident	42	32	151	8	233
Transit			38		38
Visitor	10	15	84	17	126
Grand Total	72	63	416	32	583
Flights	3	4	14	2	23

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4420/040620-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism:

DBEDT Begins Publishing Interisland Air Travel Stats

The department has begun posting interisland air travel statistics. The DBEDT website has additional charts. This is for arrivals on April 1, 2020.

Departing Airport	HNL	KOA	ITO	OGG	LIH	MKK	LNY	Total Departing
Honolulu	–	80	61	83	39	15	278	278
Kona	83			11			94	94
Hilo
Kahului	164	3			5	15	8	195
Lihue	45			1				46
Molokai
Lanai				2

Total Arriving	292	83	61	97	44	30	8	615

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

Department of Human Services:

Pankaj Bhanot assured the community today that DHS is providing services and support for people applying for SNAP/Financial and Med-QUEST. He reiterated Lt. Gov Green’s information on domestic violence and other abuse: Domestic violence, child and adult abuse and neglect has no place in our island state. If you are afraid in your home, if you are afraid for you or your loved ones safety, please know that help is available. You are not alone. For resources please visit: https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/ssd/

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 6, 2020

Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 5, 2020

Department of Health:

Total Number of Hawai‘i COVID-19 Cases Rises to 371

Twenty (20) new cases of COVID-19 are all adults. Maui’s mayor announced a second case on Moloka‘i Saturday night and both of those cases are reflected in the Maui County numbers below. Eleven (11) of the new reported cases are travel-associated, two (2) are community related, and seven (7) are pending further investigation. There is a total of 371 cases reported in Hawai’i since Feb. 28, 2020. DOH reports the number of travel related cases is dropping and of greater concern are community-associated cases. Kaua‘i continues to have only travel-associated cases and Lānaʻi continues to have no reported cases.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
13,536	369	13,155

Twelve (12) test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 5, 2020

County of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	15	281	63
Hawai‘i	0	22	7
Maui++	5	43	11
Kaua‘i	1	16	4
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Unknown**	-1	7
Total	20	371	85

Deaths	0	4

++Includes two positive case on Molokai.

**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.

New COVID-19 data graphs now available

New data diagrams are now posted at https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ The new compiled and posted information includes Hawaii COVID-19 Confirmed Cases by Age Group and Hawaii COVID-19 Cumulative Number of Reported Lab Tests. These tables are in addition to the chart of the Epidemic Curve and Island Maps of Cases by residence zip code. Hover over the diagrams for details of the data numbers used to compile and update the informative charts.

Use of Cloth Face Masks

More people are using cloth face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings. In addition, it is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slowing the spread of the virus. Cloth face masks are not a substitute for physical distancing, washing hands often, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, and staying home. The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Airline Arrivals Up Slightly Second Day in a Row

Saturday, 683 people arrived in Hawai‘i, up by 55 from Friday arrivals. This includes 106 visitors and 220 residents. Mandatory 14-day, self-quarantine is required for all passengers arriving from out of state and also covers interisland travelers. 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	8	32	151	13	204
Intended New Resident	4		56		60
Resident	10	21	175	14	220
Transit		1	92		93
Visitor	4	8	78	16	106
Grand Total	26	62	552	43	683
Flights	2	4	16	3	25

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4419/040520-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Department of Defense:

Hawai‘i National Guard Begins Assisting at Airports Tomorrow

Hawaii National Guard (HING) Soldiers and Airmen will be supporting the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) with the medical screening of incoming and departing passengers as well as airline crews, starting tomorrow, April 6 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and Hilo International Airport. Support for Kahului Airport, Līhuʻe Airport, and the Ellison Onizuka International Airport at Keāhole will start soon. The Guardsmen will be stationed at the passenger arrival gates and TSA security checkpoints to assist HDOT staff with medical screening. Arriving domestic and international passengers and departing interisland passengers will have their temperatures taken to determine if an additional medical screening is necessary. The Guardsmen will not be armed while conducting this support mission. By Monday, 342 Guardsmen will be activated to assist the county and state with civil support missions.

https://dod.hawaii.gov/blog/main/media-release-hawaii-national-guard-to-assist-at-multiple-airports/

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 5, 2020

Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 4, 2020

Department of Health:

Fourth Death is East O‘ahu Adult

An East O‘ahu adult male, over 65-years-old, is the 4th person to die from COVID-19. The individual passed this morning, and based on preliminary information, this case was travel-related in that the person may have been exposed to someone who had traveled. He had been hospitalized. The Department of Health offers its deep condolences to the family and friends of the individual at this difficult and sad time.

Two minors are among the 32 new cases of COVID-19 being reported today. The majority of cases reported since tracking began on Feb. 28 are related to travel (12 today and 184 to date). Community spread is identified in one (1) new case today and in twenty (20) cases to-date. The risk factor in 19 cases today and 147 of the total cases remains unknown. There are now a total of 351 presumptive or confirmed cases in the state.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
12,962	349	12,604

Nine (9) test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 4, 2020

County of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	29	266	61
Hawai‘i	2	22	6
Maui*	2	38	11
Kaua‘i	2	15	4
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Pending investigation**	-3	8
Total	32	351	82

Deaths	1	4

*Includes the first positive case on Molokai.

*“Pending investigation” 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.

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Airline Arrivals Up Slightly

Yesterday, 628 people arrived in Hawai‘i including 94 visitors and 239 residents. That’s up slightly from Thursday. The state’s 14-day mandatory self-quarantine started last week for all passengers arriving in Hawai‘i from out of state and was expanded 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.

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew	2	23	124	6	155
Intended Resident	6		63		69
Resident	17	26	192	4	239
Transit		2	69		71
Visitor	2	11	79	2	94
Grand Total	27	62	527	12	628
Flights	1	4	16	1	22

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4417/040420-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Department of Defense:

Brig. Gen Moses Kaoiwi Jr. Named Joint Task Force Commander

Maj. Gen. Kenneth S. Hara has named Brig. Gen. Moses Kaoiwi Jr. as the Hawai‘i National Guard (HING) Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander. The JTF was last activated in 2018 during the Kīlauea lava flow and two tropical storms. Some of the support that the HING has been providing includes: assistance to the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency in planning and Emergency Operations Center activities; support to the State of Hawai‘i Joint Information Center to help communicate accurate health and safety information to people. Additionally, the HING is supporting the Hawai‘i Healthcare Emergency Management with warehouse support for receiving, conducting inventories, and repackaging medical equipment, supplies and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the National Stockpile. Future support will include airport medical screening, law enforcement support, county emergency management support, healthcare support and more.

Department of the Attorney General:

AG Asks VA to Suspend Deadlines and Collections for Veterans

Attorney General Clare E. Connors has joined 22 other attorneys general to urge the U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs to suspend benefits claims deadlines and debt collection activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the current situation, unemployment has skyrocketed, and veterans are losing their jobs, making it difficult for them to make debt payments. In a letter to the VA, the coalition of AGs argues that the department’s continued enforcement of deadlines and collections is putting veterans in financial danger and increasing their risk of losing essential VA benefits that they rely on for basic necessities like food and housing.

https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Letter-to-VA-re.-COVID-19.pdf

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:

USACE Continues Evaluation of Facilities for Alternate Care

The Honolulu District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues initial planning and site assessments of facilities across the state for potential use as alternate care facilities (ACFs). Locations are chosen by the state and so far the USACE District and engineering assessment team has looked at sites on O‘ahu, Maui and Hawai‘i Island. This week they evaluated locations in Hilo and Kailua-Kona. Lt. Col. Kathryn Sanborn, Honolulu District Commander explained, “The analysis provides essential information to the state so they can make informed decisions about next steps for the health and wellness of the community. Lt. Col. Sanborn is expected to give an update on the conversion of facilities to ACFs at the governor’s daily news briefing on Monday.

https://www.usace.army.mil/Coronavirus/Alternate-Care-Sites/

Hawai‘i State House of Representatives:

Select Committee on COVID-19 Schedules Third Informational Briefing

The House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness has scheduled its third informational briefing on the economic impacts of the crisis on Hawai‘i on Monday, April 6, beginning at 10 a.m. To comply with physical distancing restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the briefing is not open to the public and no public testimony will be accepted. The hearing will be available statewide on community television: ‘Olelo, Nā Leo TV,

Akakū and Hō‘ike Community Television. Livestreaming is available at:

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

For more information about the committee and to see related documents go to https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/specialcommittee.aspx?comm=cov&year=2020.

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 4, 2020

Hawai’i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 3, 2020

Office of the Governor:

Governor Ige’s Messages

Today, our community received more tragic news of the passing of a third Hawai‘i resident from the COVID-19 virus. I want to extend my condolences to the family and friends of this individual. Together, with all of Hawai‘i we share their loss and express our deepest sympathy and support.

This is the second Friday of my statewide state-at-home mandate. I know this is not getting easier. As I have said before, unfortunately, it is going to get worse before it gets better. With the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i increasing every day and the heartbreaking loss of three of our fellow residents, we all need to remain vigilant and do our part in stopping the spread of this virus and flatten the curve in our state.

Options to Prevent Overcrowding of Prisons

Governor Ige has asked the President to allow Hawai‘i to temporarily transfer state inmates to the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. The state has a long-standing contract to temporarily house inmates at the federal facility, but currently it is not accepting inmate transfers, even though it is not at full capacity.

Department of Health:

Third COVID-19 Death Travel-Related

The third death from COVID-19 was as an elderly adult O‘ahu resident who had been hospitalized in critical condition on life support for several weeks after traveling to Washington state. DOH reports 34 new COVID-19 cases today — all are adults. The majority of cases are residents and two (2) are visitors. The number of Maui County cases includes the first positive case on Molokai. This case may be travel-related and the individual has been transported to Oʻahu for care. There are now a total of 319 presumptive or confirmed cases in the state.

LABORATORY TESTING DATA

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
12,283	317	11,959

Seven (7) test results were inconclusive

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 3, 2020

County of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	31	237	49
Hawai‘i	2	20	6
Maui*	9	36	11
Kaua‘i	1	13	3
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Pending investigation**	-9	11
Total	34	319	69

Deaths	1	3

*Includes the first positive case on Molokai.

Additional Guidance on Masks

Based on recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and recommendations from county mayors and the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19, Gov. Ige and the Hawai‘i Dept. of Health and the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency are formulating a statewide policy on the use of facemasks. Although there is no current data to demonstrate that homemade, cloth masks are effective for individual protection, it is prudent to urge everyone that wearing a fabric mask can help prevent the spread of infection to others, when the mask is worn by someone who already is infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.

Dr. Bruce Anderson, Director of the Dept. of Health said, “Many of us may be walking around unaware that we may be carrying coronavirus and when we cough, sneeze, and to a lesser degree, even speak, cloth masks may block infectious droplets from spreading. Protection is maximized when facemasks are used consistently and properly to avoid contaminating the hands or face of someone wearing one.” Anderson added that fabric masks should be replaced when they become moist and washed after each use.

https://dohvid19.wpengine.com

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Hotels for Heroes

Hawai‘i’s health care workers and first responders have been working tirelessly on the front lines to help people throughout the state during this COVID-19 pandemic, and may need to temporarily separate from their families to keep safe and rest. 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 will provide complimentary rooms for health care workers and first responders during this crisis. State tourism dollars will be used to offset the hotel room costs.

Airline Arrivals Continue to Drop

On Thursday 543 people arrived at state airports and of that number only 89 were visitors. Most of the passengers were returning residents. The state’s 14-day, mandatory self-quarantine order is for all out-of-state arrivals and interisland travelers, unless exempted. The table does not include interisland travelers at this time.

	Kona	Maui	O‘ahu	Līhu‘e	Total
Crew	8	19	134	3	164
Intended Resident	2		39		41
Resident	20	9	190	2	221
Transit		4	24		28
Visitor	2	1	85	1	89
Grand Total	32	33	472	6	543
Flights	2	4	13	1	20

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4415/040320-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Department of Defense:

National Guard Standing up This Weekend

The Hawai‘i National Guard will soon begin assisting the Dept. of Transportation at airports across the state to conduct passenger medical screening and to help with administrative paperwork. The guard is made-up of soldiers and airmen who are all members of the community. This means, they understand first-hand the direct impacts of this pandemic and now can provide specific capabilities to help reduce some of these impacts. There are currently 130 active guardsmen. An additional 162 are being called up for active duty, bringing the total to 292.

Hawai‘i State House of Representatives:

State Capitol to Remained Closed Through April 30

In an effort to maintain consistency with the governor’s stay-at-home work orders, House Speaker Scott K. Saiki announced that the Hawai‘i State Capitol will remain closed, except for those performing necessary functions. Representatives will determine their own office hours and staffing needs based on their respective circumstances, with staff who remain at home, working from home.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1suqIyXllS_rcT1j9pMNHuwGcvCXFTMRUnLC2ulk0edU/edit?usp=sharing

Hawai‘i State Senate:

Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 Meets

The six State Senators of the Special Committee on COVID-19 continued meeting today to assess and advise the Senate regarding plans and procedures for state departments. The committee heard from Governor Ige’s Chief of Staff, the Dept. of Human Resources and Development, the Dept. of Agriculture and the Dept. of Education.

# # #

PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 3, 2020

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020 HAWAI‘I COVID-19 JOINT INFORMATION CENTER DAILY NEWS DIGEST

Office of the Governor:

Governor Ige’s Message on Second COVID-19 Death

Today, our community received the tragic news of the passing of a second Hawai‘i resident from the COVID-19 virus. Dawn and I express our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends. As we come together with expressions of sympathy and support – we must also remember to help each other, to protect your health and the health of loved ones and your community. Let’s all do our part to get Hawai‘i through this challenging time.

https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/latest-news/office-of-the-governor-statement-on-hawaiis-second-covid-19-death/

Community Connections Live Chat with Gov. Ige & Dr. Sarah Park

If you missed today’s Facebook Live discussion between Gov. Ige and Hawai‘i State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park, you can watch it here:

https://www.facebook.com/GovernorDavidIge/videos/231887801503699/

Aloha Spirit Alive and Well During COVID-19 Crisis

Helping Hands Hawai‘i is not just the name of a local non-profit organization, it embodies the giving spirit that our island state is famous for, particularly in great times of need, like the current COVID-19 pandemic. With unemployment soaring, businesses shuttering their doors and government and community resources being stretched to their limits, many of Hawai‘i’s most vulnerable and underserved populations are most in need of helping hands. To support the opening of the Ka‘aahi emergency shelter in Iwilei, Helping Hands Hawai‘i is donating flat sheets, blankets, pillows, kitchenware, coffee cups, chairs and soap to equip the 26 units that will be available to families in need, homeless individuals or people who contract the coronavirus and have no other housing. The shelter has 18 three-bedroom units and 8 two-bedroom units capable of housing up to 52 people. Anyone interested in helping please visit:

https://health.hawaii.gov/camhd/bhhsurg-covid19-guidance/

https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/latest-news/hawaii-covid-19-joint-information-center-news-release-aloha-spirit-alive-and-well-during-covid-19-emergency-april-2-22020/

Department of Health:

Second COVID-19 Death Reported

An adult from O‘ahu is the second death reported associated with the coronavirus. The individual was hospitalized. This person passed away last night. DOH is reporting 27 new COVID-19 cases today — all are adults. The majority of cases are residents (20), one (1) is a visitor and six (6) are unknown and pending investigation. There are now a total of 285 presumptive positive or confirmed cases in the state.

HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12 NOON, APRIL 2, 2020

County of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation
Honolulu	24	206	52
Hawai‘i	0	18	6
Maui	1	27	11
Kaua‘i	0	12	3
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	2
Pending investigation	2	20
Total	27	285	72

Deaths	1	2

https://dohvid19.wpengine.com

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Today marks one week since the state’s 14-day mandatory self-quarantine

Gov. Ige’s order for all arriving domestic and international passengers to undergo mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival was expanded yesterday to include interisland travelers as well. 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	10	24	119	6	159
Intended Resident	2		64		66
Resident	22	15	216	4	257
Transit		15	72		87
Visitor	7	3	97	13	120
Grand Total	41	47	553	23	664
Flights	2	4	15	1	22

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4411/040220-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

University of Hawai‘i:

UH President Lassner Announces First COVID-19 Cases

As the number of reported positive cases in Hawaiʻi increases, it has been inevitable that members of our community would eventually test positive. We have now received confirmation that two UH community members have tested positive for COVID-19.Both are in good condition, in isolation at home and in regular contact with health care providers. We wish them both a speedy recovery.

The first case involves an employee at the UH Maui. The last time the individual was on campus was for a brief time on March 30 to pick up personal items. The employee practiced safe social distancing with the handful of employees that they came into contact with and did not come into contact with students. The last time the individual was on campus before March 30 was on March 19, the week of spring break, when classes were out.

The second case involves a graduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The last time the student was on campus was Saturday, March 14, the weekend spring break started, and was rarely on campus this semester. It is not known if the individual was infectious on March 14, now more than 14 days ago. However, this notice is being issued out of an abundance of caution.

https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2020/04/02/covid-19-positive-tests/

Department of Public Safety:

No confirmed cases of COVID-19 in prisons or jails

PSD has updated results of tests on inmates in state prisons or jails as follows:

Facilities	Tested	Results Pending	Negative	Inconclusive	Positive	# in Isolation	# in Quarantine
HCF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
HCCC	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
KCCC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
KCF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MCCC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
OCCC	1	1	0	0	0	1	0
WCCC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
WCF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

On 3/26/20 the individual listed under HCCC was sent to the hospital for treatment due to poor response to confirmed Influenza A. The hospital conducted a COVID-19 test as a precaution on 3/26/20. The test came back negative on 3/27/20.
The test listed under OCCC was administered by a hospital prior to entry on 4/1/20 and is pending results. That individual is not exhibiting any symptoms. OCCC staff executed their procedures to place the individual directly into medical isolation out of an abundance of caution until outside test results are obtained.

The facilities have longstanding outbreak management plans in place to quickly identify, isolate and treat communicable diseases. PSD adheres to the Department of Health medical guidance on testing for COVID-19, which currently recommends a testing panel be done to rule out other respiratory diseases before COVID-19 tests are considered.

https://dps.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/RELEASE-PSD-Inmate-Testing-and-Population-Relief-Efforts-4.2.20.pdf

Hawai‘i State Judiciary:

Supreme Court Appoints Special Master

The Hawaii Supreme Court issued an order today addressing two pending petitions filed by the State Office of the Public Defender regarding the release or changes in the conditions of confinement of inmates amid concerns of a potential COVID-19 outbreak in Hawaii’s correctional centers and facilities. In its order, the court consolidated the two petitions and appointed retired Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA) Judge Daniel R. Foley as Special Master to work with the parties in a collaborative and expeditious manner to address the issues raised in the petitions, and to recommend a resolution while protecting public health and safety. An initial summary report from the Special Master is due by April 9, 2020.

https://www.courts.state.hi.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/040220_SCPW20-200and20-213_OPDvConnors_OPDvIge_ORD.pdf

Department of Transportation:

Want to Know about Traffic?

HDOT has begun sharing traffic volume data on major state routes during the stay-at-home period associated with the COVID-19 crisis. Once the crisis ends, the department will continue to update data as an economic indicator. The data now is helping to verify the capabilities of highways to accommodate extended lane closure hours and to provide general data on compliance with the Governor’s Emergency Proclamations.

https://hidot.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/04/01/traffic-volume-data-for-major-state-routes-available-on-hdot-website/

Department of Land and Natural Resources:

STATE SMALL BOAT HARBOR AND OTHER RESTROOMS COULD CLOSE AGAIN

Last Wednesday, all DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) restrooms statewide at state small boat harbors (SBH) and boat ramps reopened. Since then, vandalism, destruction and filth has occurred at these public restroom facilities and criminal activities at these sites have scared away individuals trying to use these them. Toilet paper has been stolen from all bathrooms and almost all have had their dispensers broken. At least one restroom facility has been closed due to the toilet being stuffed with materials. Currently, Wai’anae SBH is not facing the destruction and disregard that other SBH restrooms are experiencing. The Pu’uhonua o Wai’anae and Hui Aloha asked DOBOR to open bathrooms and have offered to assist in maintaining them and caring for them. The two community groups have set up bathroom brigades to curb vandalism and ensure facilities there are stocked with supplies. Under their stewardship the Wai’anae SBH restrooms are otherwise spotless. However, because of vandalism at night, DLNR in consultation with the Pu’uhonua, will be closing the Wai’anae restrooms at 4:00 p.m. daily. If any community groups would like to help for any DLNR restrooms or other public comfort stations please contact theBehavioral Health and Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group (BHH-SURG) at:

https://health.hawaii.gov/camhd/bhhsurg-covid19-guidance/

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/04/02/nr20-043/

State Cancels Lana‘i Axis Deer Hunt Due To COVID-19 Risks

The 2020 deer rifle season within the Lana‘i Cooperative Game Management Area, is being cancelled due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. The season was scheduled to run through May 17, 2020. The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) reports efforts are underway to notify hunters who are impacted by this cancellation.

A new date for the hunt has not been set, but DOFAW noted that it will make every effort to provide an Axis deer hunting opportunity later this the year if the risk of spreading the coronavirus is no longer a threat. The Lana‘i deer hunting season is very popular, bringing hundreds of visitors to the island from in-state and out-of-state. With both domestic and interisland travel restricted and passengers under mandatory self-quarantine measures, it would be very difficult for hunters to even get to Lana‘i. Additional information on available hunting opportunities: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/recreation/

Department of Defense:

More Information on Major Disaster Declaration

The Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) is already moving to support an expedited process for Personal Assistance through an online application process with our State Partners, which will help with the volume of applicants from this unprecedented incident and its consequent reimbursements. Staff will be allotted for these and we are working on a request for these resources. Yesterday President Trump declared a major disaster for the State of Hawai’i as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This declaration, makes the State of Hawai’i eligible for reimbursement through the Public Assistance Program at a 75% Federal Cost Share. The Individual Assistance (IA) Program for disaster-related emergency facilities and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMPG) for mitigation measures to reduce the risk of life are currently under review.

https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/news-release-major-disaster-declaration-for-hawaii-as-a-result-of-covid-19/

Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

Take Time to Reply to 2020 Census

Your ʻohana counts. In this time of crisis, we need to count everyone living in Hawai‘i for the 2020 Census. Funding for our state government and local communities depends on the Census count. It supports public schools, student loans for college, special education, Medicaid and Medicare, roads, public housing, food assistance programs, social services, and much more.

Hawai‘i’s response rate has been lower than the national average: 33.9% vs. 41.3% as of April 1. Shape Hawai‘i’s future and respond to the 2020 Census online at my2020census.gov, call 1-844-330-2020, or return your census forms by mail.

Hawai‘i State Senate

Hana Highway restrooms remain closed

Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English (Hāna, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i and Kaho‘olawe) announced today that public restrooms along the Hana Highway will remain closed until further notice while the highway is restricted to local traffic only.

“The Hana Highway is closed to slow the spread of COVID-19 into the remote East Maui community, where supplies are limited and emergency medical help is very far away,” said Senator English. “No one should be using the highway except for East Maui residents needing emergency assistance and life-saving necessities not available in Hana.” The DLNR Division of State Parks maintains two restrooms along the Hana Highway at Kaumahina and Pua‘aka‘a Wayside parks that are now closed until further notice. In addition, Waiʻānapanapa State Park and its restrooms are also closed due to COVID-19. “I know there are kupuna who want to use these restrooms when they must make the long trip into town, but they are the very people who should be avoiding contact with these public toilets,” said Senator English.

https://www.hawaiisenatemajority.com/post/hana-highway-restrooms-remain-closed-due-to-covid-19-road-closure

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