HONOLULU — A Hawaii woman has been arrested and accused of violating the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving to the islands.
Patricia L. Pian, 48, is the first returning Hawaii resident to be arrested over the quarantine by state attorney general investigators, the Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center announced Tuesday.
Witnesses reported seeing her swimming in the ocean a few hours after she returned to Honolulu from San Diego on May 31, the state said.
“She was also seen sunbathing with her husband and walking their dog,” the state’s news release said.
Pian was arrested Tuesday in the hallway of her Waikiki condominium building and charged with violating quarantine. Her bail was set at $2,000.
She couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Gov. David Ige ordered the quarantine starting March 26 in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus in Hawaii. On Tuesday, Hawaii reported six new cases of the virus, bringing the statewide total to 682 cases. There have been 17 deaths.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.
Ige has said he plans to extend the quarantine beyond June 30. Travelers arriving to the state aren’t allowed to leave their quarantine location, such as residences or hotels, for anything except medical emergencies.
A quarantine for those traveling between the Hawaiian Islands will be lifted next week.
Some tourists have been arrested for violating the quarantine. On Monday, 1,732 people arrived in Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. During this same time last year, nearly 30,000 passengers arrived in Hawaii daily.
