(BIVN) – As of noon on Wednesday, the State of Hawaiʻi says there have been 435 cases of COVID-19 identified statewide. Of those cases, 10% have required hospitalization, and over 80% were residents returning from other areas.

While the official number of COVID-related deaths is 5, the state says a 6th death was reported today in an individual on Maui and will be reported in tomorrow’s counts.

“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,” stated Governor David Ige. “My personal condolences to the friends and family of the man who passed. This brings the total number of deaths from coronavirus statewide to six.”

The state’s count shows an increase of 3 cases identified on Hawaiʻi Island, bringing the total to 26.

Hawaiʻi County Counts 27 Cases

On the COVID-19 status, the total number of people tested positive for Hawaii Island is 27. From this, 21 have been cleared by the Department of Health. The remaining 6 are quarantined at home and are being monitored by the Department of Health. At this date, for Hawaii Island, no one has had to be hospitalized for infection from the virus.

Keeping within the policies of prevention please do maintain the best physical and emotional health that you can be. Your overall health is so important to your resiliency. In addition we need to assure that our kupuna are taken care of and that they have opportunities to socialize within the policy guidelines of social distancing and grouping.

Let’s all protect each other; wear a mask.

Thank you for listening and know how lucky we are to be here on Hawaii.

More COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing

Premier Medical Group and Bay Clinic with the support of the County of Hawaiʻi COVID-19 Task Force will offer a drive-through screening and testing clinic. The one-day clinic for COVID-19 will be held at Hilo’s Hoʻolulu Complex on Saturday, April 11, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Access only through the Pi’ilani/Hinano entrance.

Please note that the testing day has been changed to SATURDAY, to adjust for Easter Sunday. (Normally the Hilo testing is done on Sundays.)

This free clinic is open to the public. However, individuals must first undergo a screening to determine if they meet the criteria to be tested. Clinic physicians on site will make the determination regarding testing. The screening criteria is based on guidance of the CDC and the State’s COVID-19 Response Task Force.

People who visit the screening clinic will be asked to show photo ID. Additionally, people are requested to bring their own pen, and any health insurance cards they have, although insurance is not required.

For further information, please call Civil Defense at 935-0031.

Update on Testing Policy

From the Lt. Governor’s office:

Hawai‘i will now be “contact testing,” which is the testing of close, intimate contacts of individuals who test positive for COVID-19. Close contacts and tests will be determined and ordered by the Hawai‘i Department of Health and/or licensed healthcare providers and conducted by the Hawai‘i State Lab and/or private labs. Identified close contacts of individuals who test positive will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Because some close contacts who are asymptomatic may test negative, additional testing for those individuals will be evaluated and ordered on a case-by-case basis. Contact testing will continue to be prioritized among critical infrastructure workers like healthcare providers, police, firefighters, EMS and others. Members of the general public who are asymptomatic and not deemed close contacts will not be tested at this time. 

State DOCARE Officers Cite 34 (DLNR)

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 and the governor’s stay-at-home orders, associated with the COVID-19 crisis..

Hawai‘i Island DOCARE Officers cited 28-year-old Hanna Stauffer, of Kailua-Kona, for Entering a Closed Area. Stauffer was allegedly observed by a DOCARE Officer loitering within Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area which had been closed by the DLNR Division of State Parks. 31-year-old Sergey Bulgutenko, of Russia was cited for violating terms of the State’s self- quarantine order. Bulgutenko was observed by a DOCARE Officer operating a small dinghy in an erratic manner at Waiākea Public Fishing Area in Hilo. A subsequent investigation revealed Bulgutenko had arrived in the Port of Hilo aboard a sailing vessel and had 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. The eight individuals are: Rachel Hubbard of Kapa’a, Devon Hudson of Hanapepe, Ariel Overton of Kalāheo, Gianna Camarillo of Koloa, Kaylee Alapai of Kōloa, Glen Patrick Agunda of Kapa’a, and Edward Stephens & Allison Donnelly of Washington State. DOCARE Officers on patrol in the area of the Wailua Falls Lookout observed Assison Bulosan of Līhuʻe and Donica Abalos of Kapa’a acting suspiciously. Both were contacted and subsequent investigation revealed both were cited for allegedly being in violation of the governor’s stay-at-home orders.

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 May of 1999 when rocks fell from the near-vertical canyon walls of the park. It has been off-limits since the tragedy. 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.

Maui Hospital Confirms 15 Employees Test Positive for COVID-19

From the State of Hawaiʻi:

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 “Economic Recovery and Resiliency Navigator”

From the State of Hawaiʻi Officer of the Governor:

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.”

County Launches Emergency Meal Plan

from the Hawaiʻi County Department of Parks and Recreation:

Beginning this week, the County of Hawai‘i Department of Parks and Recreation’s Elderly Activities Division (EAD) began a comprehensive meal delivery program for eligible seniors enrolled in Hawai‘i County’s Nutrition Program. In compliance with Governor Ige’s Third Emergency Proclamation on COVID-19, which restricted gatherings and instituted social distancing requirements beginning March 25, 2020, EAD undertook a herculean effort to convert its two standard meals programs for seniors, Meals on Wheels and Congregate [Meals] Sites, into a meticulously organized meal delivery network that services all enrolled seniors at their respective places of residence.

In this initial week of EAD’s emergency meal delivery program, 3,440 frozen prepared meals will be delivered to 688 seniors that opted into the program. Each senior will receive 5 nutritious meals per week prepared by one of five different vendors depending on the recipient’s location. EAD staff have charted 24 distinct routes spanning the entire island to efficiently distribute the meals. All deliveries on 22 of these routes are performed by EAD employees, in marked County of Hawai‘i vehicles, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays, depending on geographic location. The remaining 2 routes (Wainaku to Pa‘auilo and Honoka‘a to Waimea) are executed by staff of Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council (HCEOC) in their marked vehicles.

In addition to the delivery of meals, EAD staff members are reaching out by phone weekly to the seniors in its highest risk category to ensure they are doing okay and to inquire with them what their plans are over the next month and if there is any way that EAD can assist them further in this period of emergency.

During this time, EAD continues to service seniors through its Coordinated Services for the Elderly program that provides transportation for doctor’s appointments, pharmaceutical pickups, 2-week essentials shopping as well as emergency services (such as dialysis, cancer treatments, etc.).

The Department of Parks and Recreation thanks the Hawai‘i County Office of Aging for its continued support of this emergency meals programs as well as its meals vendors: Nani Mau, HCEOC, Café 100, Big Island Grill and L&L Drive Inn.

Hawaiʻi Passenger Arrivals By Air (HTA)

Yesterday, 654 people arrived in Hawaii including 160 visitors and 239 residents. In comparison, during this same time last year, nearly 30,000 passengers arrived in Hawaii daily, including residents and visitors. The state’s 14-day mandatory self-quarantine started on March 26th for all passengers arriving in Hawaii from out of state. The order was expanded on April 1st 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.

This story is being updated.