(BIVN) – There were only two (2) newly reported cases of COVID-19 statewide as of noon on Thursday. According to the updated numbers provided by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, one case has been identified on Oʻahu (424) and the other is counted towards “residents diagnosed outside of Hawai‘i” (11 total).

There are no active cases on Hawaiʻi island. Of the cumulative total number of cases statewide (655) the number of cases released from isolation is 611.

Hawai’i County Emergency Loan Program Update

Hawai’i County announced on June 3 early success of its Emergency Resilience Loan Program in processing 121 applications and approving the first $28,700 for workers and entrepreneurs who have lost income due to COVID-19.

The program opened last week with funding from the County of Hawai’i and Hawai’i Community Foundation and offers financial counseling and loans to ALICE (asset limited, income constrained, employed) residents who reside on Hawai’i Island and have lost income due to COVID-19. Maximum loans amounts are $2,500 for individual workers and $5,000 for self-employed persons.

Local community development nonprofits Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) and Hawai’i Community Lending (HCL) are administering the program on behalf of the County. HCL provides the loans, while HCA delivers financial counseling to every borrower.

To qualify, loan applicants must have been ALICE (asset limited, income constrained, employed) prior to COVID and have not received emergency grants due to COVID. See below ALICE income thresholds:

Online loan applications are available at HawaiianCommunity.net. Individuals with no or limited access to the Internet or a computer may call 808-934-0801 for a paper application or complete an application over the phone. Funds will go to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Applicants who have household incomes below ALICE will be referred to social service agencies for emergency grants.

Applicants who have household incomes above ALICE will be referred to their local credit unions and banks for personal loans.

To apply for a Hawai’i County Emergency Resilience Loan, visit HawaiianCommunity.net. Persons without Internet access or a computer are encouraged to call 808-934-0801 to complete an application over the phone.

The County also provided these grant and loan options that are available to Hawaiʻi island residents:

Emergency Grants
Hawai’i First Federal Credit Union
www.hawaiifirstfcu.com

Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
808.784.4464
kahiau@hawaiiancouncil.org
https://hawaiiancouncil.org/kahiau

Liliʻuokalani Trust
808-466-8102

Emergency Loans
Hawaiian Community Assets
Hawai’i Community Lending
808-934-0801
www.HawaiianCommunity.net

Personal Loans:
Call your credit union or bank to request more information about available loans.

Feds Fund $1.5 Million For Hawaii Healthcare

From the office of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi):

Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi) announced that Hawaiʻi will receive $1,500,000 to support the preparedness and response needs of hospitals, health systems, and health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds can be used to train health care workers, expand the use of telehealth services, replenish stockpiles of supplies such as personal protective equipment, and coordinate efforts across health care facilities.

“Hospitals and health care workers are working tirelessly to help keep our families safe and healthy,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “These new federal dollars will help ensure that they have the resources they need to prepare for and respond to this pandemic.”

Authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP). The HPP provides the only federal funding for health care system preparedness and response for disasters like the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, Hawaiʻi received $400,682 in HPP emergency supplemental funding through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020. These funds will be managed by Hawaiʻi Healthcare Emergency Management and the Department of Health.

In addition to the funding announced today, Hawaiʻi has received federal grants to support care for rural communities, expand contact tracing capacity, and help local providers respond to the pandemic.

Passenger Arrivals By Air (Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority)

Today marks ten weeks since the state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started for all passengers arriving in Hawaii from out of state. Yesterday, 1,394 people arrived in Hawaii. During this same time last year, nearly 30,000 passengers arrived in Hawaii daily, including residents and visitors. 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 data was collected from the Hawaii Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new Mandatory Travel Declaration Form.