LIHU‘E — The state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.
LIHU‘E — The state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s cases are adult residents. One is travel-related, and the other is community-acquired.
All active cases are in isolation, and one hospitalized on O‘ahu. Close contacts are being identified, directed to quarantine and offered testing.
Tuesday’s cases bring the number of on-island active cases to seven, with 161 cumulative cases. Kaua‘i’s cumulative case count includes 140 confirmed locally, one probable, and 20 positive cases diagnosed elsewhere, as they received their pre-travel test results after arriving on island.
The mayor’s emergency rule 23 is in effect, which sets a temporary moratorium of the Safe Travels program. Under Gov. David Ige’s 17th COVID-19 emergency proclamation, effective Dec. 17 all incoming travelers to Kaua‘i, including mainland, inter-island residents and visitors, are required to undergo a mandatory, 10-day quarantine.
The county’s modified-quarantine program remains in place for critical-infrastructure workers, essential medical travel or other special circumstances. To apply for a modified quarantine, visit kauai.gov/COVID-19 and click on the “modified quarantine request” button at the top of the page.
For more information on the county’s COVID-19 response, visit kauai.gov/COVID-19.
For more information on the state’s COVID-19 cases or the state’s Safe Travels program, visit hawaiicovid19.com.
Mr. Mayor, when is it going to sink in that visitors are going to start making a lot of people very sick or DEAD on this island?
When is it going to sink in that our state and country are going so far into debt trying to hide from this virus. Printing this exorbitant amount of money devalues the US dollar to no end.
Jake, when is it going to sink in for the both you and the Mayor that the life expectancy for impoverished individuals is much shorter than that of the average person?
In the long run, directly causing the permanent closure of hundreds of businesses and the layoff of thousands of people will have a greater death toll than COVID. The repercussions of the devastation of Kauai’s economy will be felt for generations to come.
@jake – Um, yeah, that’s kind of his whole point. Kawakami and his 1%er pals are playing the long strategy, letting Covid destroy Kauai’s “detestable” local population so that they can buy up their properties and then sell it all off to the highest mega-corp bidders.
Imagine a Kauai with no crack-heads, tweakers, welfare recipients or people of color. Imagine a Kauai with a gleaming coastline full of hotels, GMO plantations and Mark Zuckerberg-types.
THAT is Kawakami’s endgame. And if you think this sounds ludicrous, just ask around.
Derek is a lemon. Taking the easy way out of not having to do the real work. Getting the supplies needed to mitigate the inevitable return of covid cases to the island. You can’t just hide behind your social media echo chamber your wife has created for you. I am a lucky one who has been able to work. But the stress, anxiety and depression of those I know is growing exponentially when you’ve taken away the hope getting back to work. A true leader doesn’t make decisions out of fear. And what is clear now is you are lacking the leadership to handle this pandemic instead of hiding from it hoping the government funds is and the vaccine saves us. You’re clipped pal.
Where are you from Ripe? Clearly not Kauai…I’ve never heard the “clipped pal” term, that’s why.
Born and raised pal. Maybe you’re not hip the lingo these days. Does that jive with you. If you support kawakamis covid response, not increasing hospital beds, and supplies for an inevitable spike in cases and then panicking that our case count went up. When obviously it was going to do so with the big push for free surge testing. Then you’re supporting the destruction of the small business and families dependent on the vast majority of trickle down from our economy which is essentially 0. Probably negative at this point. And if you’re born and raised on kauai and you’re not sticking up for the countless struggling then you’re clipped too.
@Ripe – Mayor Derek is no dummy. He knows exactly what he is doing. This is methodical genocide. And the brilliant thing is that he doesn’t have to lift a finger to let it all play out. He can just sit back in his big leather chair, sip on his brandy and let Covid do all the work for him and his GMO buddies. At this rate, in one year, they’ll be able to buy out any number of property owners here. And if you think Kawakami has any intention of expediting the new vaccine to local residents, think again.
Where do you suppose he get the supplies? I think it is a lame duck already. Now what? No pay.
Re: Ripe’s comment
I have a completely different opinion from yours! You sound like a transplant that’s thinking only of himself. For myself, I have children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles living on this Island for well over a hundred years. Keeping everyone as safe as possible is my personal primary goal during this pandemic. One life lost because of negligence is one life too many. Mayor Kawakami has done and is doing an excellent job in managing this virus pandemic to date.
Ripe,
can you for just a minute stop and think what kind of a situation we would be in with full ICU beds on this island?
If our beds were full where would a sick person go? Oahu would most likely be full as well? If the virus was allowed to get out of control we would look like LA does right now! Somehow I think a job would become secondary at that point.
We are shut down and people are hurting, I am hurting but I watch the news from the mainland I just think that now more than ever I am lucky live Kaua’i!
Kudos to the Mayor. Vaccines are on the way and it looks like living on Kaua’i means you and your loved ones will most likely see the world post Covid19.
Mele Kalikimaka and wishes for a much improved New Year!