LIHU‘E — For the past week, the state has seen a spike in positive coronavirus cases, with new, three-digits case counts daily.
Friday, the state reported 233 new cases, of 2,649 tested. That’s an 8.8% positivity rate. The state has averaged 204 new cases per day since Aug. 7.
The state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office reported one new positive case, related to interisland travel.
This brings the island’s active-case count to seven, and the cumulative total to 54. This case will be reflected in Saturday’s statewide count.
Contact tracing is ongoing, and identified close contacts have been directed to quarantine and offered a test.
As of Thursday, there are 34 contacts in quarantine, according to the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency.
There are currently 2,653 active cases on O‘ahu, 22 on Hawai‘i Island and 43 on Maui.
Effective Friday, the size of permitted outdoor
gatherings was reduced to 25, down from 100 people, on Kaua‘i, Mayor Derek Kawakami announced, citing potential social-cluster outbreaks and leisure travel. Gov. David Ige approved the amended rule this week.
“We have learned that many of the COVID clusters statewide were related to social gatherings — both indoors and outdoors — and often included people who had recently traveled,” Kawakami said. “We need to proactively control these types of activities to help prevent a surge in cases here like the one O‘ahu is currently experiencing.”
The mayor’s emergency rule 13 is limited to casual gatherings, like parties, barbeques and other social functions. Rules pertaining to churches, businesses, schools and restaurants are dictated by statewide guidance, but must still comply with physical distancing and other guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Any person violating any rule of the governor or mayor, if convicted, could face a fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to a year in jail.
To view the rules, visit the website, kauai.gov/COVID-19.
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Sabrina Bodon, public safety and government reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
I’d like to know how one is “convicted” of violating an arbitrary “rule”proffered by a politician with NO legitimate authority to blatantly violate our constitutional & natural right to free association. Furthermore, the threat of imprisonment for getting together with more than 25 people is ludicrous on its face. So, voluntarily associating with say 30 people gets you landed in jail where you are in close proximity to possibly a hundred other individuals in tight quarters???…BRILLIANT. Only an imbecilic politician could come up with this tyrannical nonsense that has zero basis in solid scientific EVIDENCE.
It’s a sad time for America that has now been reduced to the status of a third-world tyranny.
RG DeSoto
I think the courts have ruled against your viewpoint. Multiple times.