Department of Health:
One New Case of COVID-19 Reported
One new case of coronavirus is being reported by DOH. This is an adult, Hawai‘i island resident. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i since Feb. 28, 2020 to 638.
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, May 15, 2020
| Island of Diagnosis | New Cases | Reported since
2/28/2020 (including new cases) |
Total Released from Isolation* |
| O‘ahu | 0 | 414 | 377 |
| Hawai‘i | 1 | 76 | 75 |
| Maui | 0 | 115 | 91 |
| Kaua‘i | 0 | 21 | 20 |
| Moloka‘i | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Lana‘i | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Residents Diagnosed outside HI | 0 | 10 | |
| Unknown | 0 | 0 | |
| Total** | 1 | 638 | |
| Total released from isolation | 565 | ||
| Deaths | 0 | 17 |
* Includes cases that meet isolation release criteria. Cases that have died and one case that left the jurisdiction have been removed from these counts.
Laboratory* Testing Data
There were 693 additional COVID-19 tests reported via electronic laboratory reporting.
| Total Number of Individuals Tested by Clinical and State Laboratories | Positive | Negative |
| 38,995** | 636 | 38,341 |
*Electronic Laboratory Reporting **18 test results were inconclusive.
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:
858 Passengers Arrive in Hawai‘i
Yesterday marked seven weeks since the State’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started for all passengers arriving in Hawai‘i from out-of-state. Yesterday, 858 people arrived in Hawai‘i including 252 visitors and 318 residents. The following table shows passenger numbers coming into the state, but does not show interisland travel.
AIRPORT ARRIVALS FOR THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2020
| KONA | MAUI | O‘AHU | LĪHUʻE | TOTAL | |
| Crew | 5 | 108 | 113 | ||
| Intended New Resident | 5 | 95 | 100 | ||
| Resident | 14 | 304 | 318 | ||
| Transit | 75 | 75 | |||
| Visitor | 18 | 234 | 252 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 42 | 0 | 816 | 0 | 858 |
| Flights | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 14 |
*Visitors are people who do not have a Hawai‘i ID, including essential healthcare workers, essential federal workers, former residents like mainland college students coming to stay with family, military on temporary assignment and leisure travelers.
https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4589/051520-passenger-count-press-release.pdf
Department of the Attorney General:
Social Media Posts Lead to Another Visitor Arrest in Waikiki
A 23-year-old man from New York was arrested this morning by special agents from the Department of the Attorney General for violation of the mandatory 14-day quarantine rule and unsworn falsification to authority.
Tarique Peters of the Bronx arrived on O‘ahu on Monday and posted numerous pictures of himself on Instagram. He allegedly left his hotel room the day he arrived and traveled many places using public transportation.
Authorities became aware of his social media posts from citizens who saw posts of him – on the beach with a surfboard, sunbathing, and walking around Waikīkī at night. This morning agents were able to confirm with hotel personnel that had seen Peters leave his room and the premises on numerous occasions this week.
When he was arrested, a local man was with him and charges are pending against him. Peters was booked and his bail is set at $4,000.
Hawai‘i Attorney General Clare Connors said, “We appreciate the assistance of local people who spot flagrant violations of our emergency rules on various social media sites and report them to the appropriate authorities.”
https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/latest-news/hawaii-covid-19-joint-information-center-news-release-social-media-posts-lead-to-another-visitor-arrest-may-15-2020/
Department of Transportation:
Kalaniana‘ole Highway Contraflow to Reopen
The Kalaniana‘ole Highway Westbound contraflow/HOV lane that operates between West Halemaumau Street and Ainakoa Avenue will resume operations on Monday, May 18. The hours will be from 5 to 8 a.m., Monday through Friday, excluding State holidays.
As a reminder, HOV rules still apply to high occupancy vehicle lanes such as the Kalaniana‘ole Highway contraflow/HOV lane and the Zipper Lane, meaning two or more people must be in the vehicle to use the lane unless the driver qualifies for a permit for safety reasons. DOT is continuing to monitor traffic volumes during the State and County orders for COVID-19. It is down 29-51% on O‘ahu compared to last year.
https://hidot.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/05/14/kalanianaole-highway-contraflow-hov-resumes-monday-may-18/
National Maritime Day Activities
The DOT is advising everyone about National Maritime Day activities planned for Monday, May 18 through Friday, May 22. National Maritime Day commemorates the first successful crossing of the Atlantic Ocean with steam propulsion in 1819.
In consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the hard work of shippers, stevedores, and other essential harbor workers in maintaining our vital supply chains – the American Association of Port Authorities is encouraging all those in maritime to sound off every day at noon between May 18-22.
This means you may hear horns and whistles at Hawai‘i ports, but there’s no cause for concern. DOT is also encouraging everyone to thank those you know in the maritime industry for continuing the flow of essential supplies during the COVID-19 emergency.
Department of Public Safety:
Jail Population Report
From March 2 to May 15 there has been a 799-person decrease in the jail population. These reductions are due to the huge, up-front diversion efforts made by county police departments, PSD’s Intake Services Center Division and the State Judiciary. More recent, additional reductions are due to the collaborative efforts of the state public defender’s office, county prosecutors, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court and the Supreme Court appointed Special Master, Judge Dan Foley. Currently there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the prisons or jails. The latest Inmate Testing Report can be found:
http://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/
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