Hawaii COVID-19 Daily News Digest May 23-25, 2020
Department of Health: Only One New Case of COVID-19 Reported Over Memorial Day Weekend On Saturday, DOH reported one (1) new case of coronavirus on Maui. On Sunday and Monday there have been no new cases. Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, May 25, 2020 Island of Diagnosis New Cases Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases) Total Released from Isolation* O‘ahu 0 414 389 Hawai‘i 0 81 79 Maui 0 116 103 Kaua‘i 0 20 19 Moloka‘i 0 2 2 Lana‘i 0 0 0 Residents Diagnosed outside HI 0 10 Unknown 0 0 Total 0 643 Total released [...]
Special agents arrest two more quarantine violators
One Faces Additional Charge of Animal Cruelty HONOLULU – Social media postings again helped lead to the arrests of two men, on Friday afternoon, accused of violating the State’s 14-day mandatory traveler quarantine rules. Special Agents from the Investigation Division of the Department of the Attorney General arrested 20-year-old Artyon Zhiryada of Happy Valley, OR and 19-year-old Dan Vlasenko of Vancouver, WA as they were leaving a condominium on Lewers Street in Waikiki. In addition to facing quarantine violation charges, Zhiryada faces an additional charge of Cruelty to Animals. Agents say he posted a video, among others, showing him [...]
Hawaii COVID-19 Daily News Digest May 22, 2020
Governor’s Office: Holiday Weekend Not the Time to Let Our Guard Down This Memorial Day weekend is bound to bring thousands of Hawai‘i residents and visitors, who’ve first cleared their 14-day traveler quarantines, to our state’s beaches, parks, trails, and other outside spaces. Health officials and state leaders are encouraging continued social distancing, wearing of masks while around others or inside businesses, and frequent hand washing, as necessary for keeping the COVID-19 case count low or at zero. Yesterday, at Maunalua Bay, a large group of teenagers tied numerous boats together and had a miniature flotilla. Not only [...]
Holiday weekend is not the time to let our guard down
Have Fun Safely HONOLULU – This Memorial Day weekend is bound to bring thousands of Hawai‘i residents and visitors, who’ve first cleared their 14-day traveler quarantines, to our state’s beaches, parks, trails, and other outside spaces. Health officials and state leaders are encouraging continued social distancing, wearing of masks while around others or inside businesses, and frequent hand washing, as necessary for keeping the COVID-19 case count low or at zero. Yesterday, at Maunalua Bay, a large group of teenagers tied numerous boats together and had a miniature flotilla. Not only were they clearly not socially distancing, they were [...]
California woman arrested for travel quarantine violation
HONOLULU – A 51-year old woman from Moorpark, CA was arrested this morning by a team of Special Agents from the Investigations Division of the Department of the Attorney General for violating the State’s 14-day travel quarantine. Investigators say Misty Lynn Beutler arrived in Honolulu on May 9 to stay with her son at a Hawai‘i Kai condominium. A resident of the complex reported seeing the woman and her son unloading luggage that day. Two days later, the same witness reported seeing the pair enter the condo lobby carrying beach equipment. Then on Wednesday, the witness said she saw [...]
Hawaii COVID-19 Daily News Digest May 21, 2020
Governor’s Office: Update on Interisland Travel Quarantine Hawai‘i is now in the “Act with Care,” phase two of the overall, “Beyond Recovery,” reopening strategy for the state. Governor Ige announced at an afternoon news briefing that he has been working closely with the counties on opening up businesses and activities, and lifting the 14-day quarantine for interisland travel is top-of-mind for many people. Governor Ige said, ”Health measures are pointing in the right direction to make this move…with infection levels appearing to be under control across the state.” He explained this is important to avoid a high level [...]
Hawai‘i Department of Health reports COVID-19 testing capacity now up to total of 3,620 tests per day in all four counties
HONOLULU -- In-state COVID-19 testing capabilities have been a top concern throughout the pandemic, but an assessment of statewide testing capacity this week shows there are ample supplies of tests that can be conducted in Hawai‘i. It means Hawai‘i residents can breathe a sigh of relief. Healthcare providers can now consider testing patients whom they suspect may be infected to ensure rapid identification of cases. This is a shift in the Hawai‘i Department of Health’s earlier guidance that required specific symptoms and epidemiological criteria before testing. In the past three weeks, the number of sites conducting tests has increased [...]
Arizona visitor posts Hawai‘i excursions, takes a job and is arrested
HONOLULU – Wednesday afternoon, Special Agents from the Investigation Division of the Dept. of the Attorney General arrested an 18-year-old woman on charges of violating the State’s mandatory 14-day-quarantine rule and for unsworn falsification to authority. Alyza Alder, of Gilbert, AZ, was taken into custody at a fast food restaurant in Laie, after a citizen notified authorities that she was allegedly in violation of emergency rules. The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority assisted law enforcement on this case. Alder arrived on O‘ahu on May 6 and allegedly began posting photos of herself swimming off beaches in Lāʻie and Hau‘ula between May [...]
Signers of the Times
The critical role of sign-language interpreters, especially during public health emergencies. You’ve seen them at every media briefing given by the governor, the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) and other state officials throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Standing a minimum six-feet distance from presenters and in front of cameras to speak directly to the public, they listen carefully to everything the speakers say and immediately communicate the same vital information in American Sign Language to viewers who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing. They all deserve our gratitude and honored place on this pandemic’s list of unsung heroes. We’re, of course, praising the [...]
Q&A: Patty Sakal, Sign-Language Interpreter, Hawaii Interpreting Services
Patty Sakal is a familiar face to folks who tune in to the near-daily COVID-19 media briefings led by Gov. David Ige and City and County of Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Indeed, with more than 35 years of experience as an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, it’s likely you’ve seen Patty hard at work during countless televised or live-streamed state and county briefings quietly, yet expressively, interpreting the words of officials into ASL for Hawaii residents who are Deaf, hard-of-hearing or Deaf and Blind. We spoke with Patty to learn about the responsibility she feels interpreting important real-time information on [...]