courtesy Hawaiʻi Department of Health

(BIVN) – As of noon on Wednesday, there have been 530 cases of COVID-19 identified in Hawaiʻi, an increase of 13 from the day before.

The state says there were no newly identified cases on Hawaiʻi island, where the total number stands at 41.

Hawaiʻi County Message

The message from the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense agency on Wednesday morning mentioned an increase of one Big Island COVID-19 case (by their count, which is differs from the state tally) and gave a short update on the Kona McDonald’s cluster. HCCD said:

On today’s report of COVID-19, the total number of people tested positive for Hawaii Island is 40. From this, 29 have been cleared and recovered, and the remaining 11 are quarantined at home and monitored by the Department of Health.

For your information the Department of Health is continuing the investigation of the fast food situation to ensure that all precautions are taken, to prevent further spread of the virus. Based on findings thus far the Department of Health does not believe this outbreak poses a risk to the general public.

As you may know, the County’s task force on disinfection continues 7 days a week, and motorist are asked to please drive with caution and be on the lookout for them.

Due keep yourself physically and emotionally healthy as best as you can. Look out for each other, be well, and please wear your mask.

20% Percent Salary Cuts Proposed?

Public sector unions say they were informed during a recent meeting at the state Capitol that Governor David Ige wants to “implement a 20-percent salary cut for most public employees, including educators, and a 10-percent cut for first responders, such as police officers, firefighters, nurses, and EMTs.”

According to Hawaii State Teachers Association president Corey Rosenlee, these cuts could occur as early as May 1.

“According to the governor’s human resources and budget directors, the cuts are meant to prevent an economic collapse as the coronavirus pandemic cuts off a major source of state revenue. We were not given any formal proposal, and it is unclear if the governor intends to implement these cuts as furloughs or across-the-board salary decreases,” Rosenlee said in a message to HSTA members. “This is unacceptable. While we recognize the coronavirus has already started to cripple Hawaii’s economy, no one can be sure of its long-term impacts. We believe cutting salaries for tens of thousands of state workers is rash and will hurt our state even more.”

A news conference will be held today at 1 p.m. to address the governor’s initial plans, HSTA says.

Alternative Graduation Honors Planned

From the Hawaiʻi Department of Education:

With the end of the school year approaching, the Department continues to work closely with school leaders to make important decisions that prioritize the health and safety of our students, staff, families and the broader community.

After much consideration and discussion, it was determined that traditional commencement ceremonies at public and charter schools will be replaced with alternative celebrations for the class of 2020 due to safety concerns and social distancing guidance. Schools will honor their seniors through different models of celebrations, which will be announced next week.

“Graduation is considered a major milestone in any academic journey. In Hawaii these celebrations are uniquely special with a long-standing tradition of families coming together to celebrate, giving towering amounts of lei, and enjoying each other’s company — something we are all missing during this time,” Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto said.

“The Department has faced tough decisions throughout this unprecedented situation, especially around commencement ceremonies. We’ve looked for innovative solutions to support and celebrate our seniors who deserve this recognition.”

Hawaiʻi Passenger Arrivals By Air (HTA)

Yesterday, 512 people arrived in Hawaii including 119 visitors and 174 residents. In comparison, during this same time last year, nearly 30,000 passengers arrived in Hawaii daily, including residents and visitors. The state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started on March 26th for all passengers arriving in Hawaii from out of state. The quarantine 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.