Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest June 23, 2020

Department of Health:

Three Additional COVID-19 Cases on O‘ahu

Three (3) Honolulu adults are the latest cases of coronavirus reported by DOH. One of the cases is linked to a previously confirmed case and two are pending further investigation.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, June 23, 2020

Island of Diagnosis	New Cases	Reported since 2/28/2020 (including new cases)	Total Released from Isolation*
O‘ahu	3	571	458
Hawai‘i	0	85	82
Maui	0	120	111
Kaua‘i	0	29	20
Moloka‘i	0	2	2
Lana‘i	0	0	0
Residents Diagnosed outside HI	0	12
Unknown Residency	0	0
Total	3	819
Total released from isolation			669
Deaths	0	17

* Includes cases that meet isolation release criteria.  

Laboratory* Testing Data

There were 1,199 additional COVID-19 tests reported via electronic laboratory reporting.

Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories	Positive	Negative
70,539**	817	69,708

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting  **14 test results were inconclusive

HawaiiCOVID19.com

For more tables, charts and visualizations visit the DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/

Temporary Quarantine and Isolation Center Offers Benefits to Honolulu’s Homeless

In its first two months of operation, the state’s first temporary quarantine and isolation center at 524 Ka‘a‘ahi Street in Iwilei has provided a place for more than 50 homeless individuals who have COVID-19 symptoms to safely isolate or be quarantined while they wait for their test results.

As a result, the center has been able to free up hospital space to improve care capacity, save on medical costs, and keep the community protected from potentially infected individuals.

DOH has operated the center with a number of community partners, including the Institute for Human Services (IHS); the Hawai‘i Homeless Healthcare Hui (H4); Local 5, the union that represents hospitality, healthcare, and food service workers; and others. Collectively, the groups provided the necessary human resources support, including healthcare professionals, case managers, and security available 24/7, for the center to open its doors in late March. The City and County of Honolulu secured the facility.

According to a recent report prepared by the health department and the University of Hawai‘i Office of Public Health Studies, data collected from clients at the center has also proven that such a facility has been effective in tackling a deeper, more pervasive challenge: the need for a behavioral health crisis stabilization center to take care of the health and social needs of homeless individuals, including those with substance use disorder.

To view the report, visit https://health.hawaii.gov/bhhsurg/tqic/

Read the full release: https://hawaiicovid19.com/hawaii-department-of-health-and-the-university-of-hawaii-report-temporary-quarantine-and-isolation-center-offers-long-term-benefits-that-meet-the-physical-and-behavioral-health-needs-of-honol/

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

1,655 Passengers Arrive on Monday

Yesterday, a total of 1,655 people arrived in Hawai‘i including 399 visitors and 517 returning residents. There was a total of 20 arriving flights. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday but does not show interisland travel.

AIRPORT ARRIVALS FOR MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2020

	KONA	MAUI	O‘AHU	LĪHUʻE	TOTAL
Crew	2	13	177		192
Transit			169		169
Military			150		150
Exempt			156		156
Relocate to Hawai‘i		5	67		72
Returning Resident	7	39	471		517
Visitor	3	56	340		399
GRAND TOTAL	12	113	1,530	0	1,655
Flights	3	2	15	0	20

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4755/062320-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Joint Information Center:

More Warnings About Scammers Pretending to Be Contact Tracers

The State continues to warn of a multitude of scams associated with the COVID-19 virus; the latest involving scammers impersonating contact tracers in an attempt to acquire personal information.

In its efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, legitimate contact tracers are calling Hawai‘i residents who may have come into contact with someone who tested positive for the virus.  While this is a vital tool to combat the pandemic, residents should verify that the call is coming from an authorized individual before providing any information. Red flags that the caller might be an impersonator include asking for your Social Security Number, bank information, or a form of payment.

An authorized contact tracer will not disclose the identity of the person who tested positive but may ask you for names and contact information for everyone you came in close contact with while possibly infectious so that they can contact those individuals as well.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) has a COVID-19 Resource website that includes additional information on different types of scams: https://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/covid19/.

Department of Human Services:

Hawaiʻi to Provide Cash Assistance for Kids Who Receive Free or Reduced-Cost Meals

DHS is working to make sure that kids who normally receive free or reduced-price school meals don’t go hungry during the summer. DHS and the Hawaiʻi Child Nutrition Programs under the DOE announced it will give temporary cash assistance to families with kids who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. The money will be provided through P-EBT, the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program. The temporary program will provide Hawaiʻi P-EBT Pandemic School Meals Replacement Benefits to more than 93,000 students in Hawaiʻi who qualify, including almost 48,000 students already receiving SNAP benefits. DHS Director Pankaj Bhanot said, “The P-EBT program provides resources that give families healthy food options for children during this public health and economic crisis. Together, in collaboration with the DOE, we are able to share this vital and timely information about the P-EBT program with Hawaiʻi families, statewide.”

The P-EBT will be distributed in two ways. First, all eligible Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households will have their March, April, and May P-EBT benefits automatically deposited to their existing Kokua EBT card. The P-EBT benefits can be used the same way as their Kokua EBT card and can also be used in the “Da Bux” program. Second, students who receive free or reduced-price school meals but do not receive SNAP benefits will automatically receive a Hawaiʻi P-EBT card in the mail. The Hawaiʻi P-EBT card will be issued under the name of the oldest student in the household. Benefits for all eligible school-aged children in the home will be loaded onto this one Hawaiʻi EBT card. The amount received will be based on the month the eligible student was enrolled for free or reduced-price meals. To learn more:

http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/blog/hawai%ca%bbi-to-provide-cash-assistance-for-children-who-receive-free-or-reduced-cost-school-meals/

To view FAQs:

https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/HI-P-EBT-FAQs-final.pdf

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PDF: COVID-19 Daily News Digest June 23, 2020