LIHU‘E — Five new cases of COVID-19 were reported Monday, consisting of four residents and one visitor.
Of these cases, three are adults and two are children. Four of the cases were related to travel: three mainland and one interisland, the state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office reported Monday.
“With our keiki back in schools, our most effective tools to make this school year a success are vaccines and masks,” Kaua‘i District Health Officer Dr. Janet Berreman said.
“Even though children younger than 12 are not yet eligible, vaccinating adults and children 12 and older goes a long way towards stopping the spread and protecting those young children,” she said.
Berreman warned that if a student is sick, he or she should stay home from school.
“Stay home and call your doctor to get tested. Please don’t risk getting your student’s classmates and their families sick,” Berreman said.
The number of active cases is up to 56, with two hospitalized. Since the pandemic began, Kaua‘i has confirmed 621 total cases, Mayor Derek Kawakami reported Monday during the county COVID-19 briefing.
According to the state COVID-19 information database, over 1.76 million vaccine dosages have been doled out to residents. That represents a 60.3% completed rate, as of Sunday.
On Kaua‘i, according to DOH, as of July 31, the majority of cases have been reported on the east, central and south sides of the island, with 19 of the cases in the last 14 days reported in the 96746 ZIP code (Kapa‘a). In this ZIP code, there’s between a 45.1% to 60% vaccination rate.
The county’s town with the highest vaccination rate is Waimea, with over 70% eligible inoculated. DOH numbers do not include federal agency doses.
The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency reported that, across the state, there’s been an average of 317.6 new cases in the last seven days. About 3,535 cases have been reported in the last two weeks statewide.
The county is seeing a 2.8% positive test percentage, according to DOH, in the last two weeks. Statewide, it’s now 5.7%.
Officials continue to urge vaccination, and incentivization continues.
This Thursday, Aug. 5, adults can get 20% off at Keoki’s Paradise restaurant in Po‘ipu from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for getting jabbed there.
Westside residents can also visit a pop-up clinic at Kekaha Neighborhood Center Saturday, Aug. 7, between 8 to 11 a.m.
Free testing is available at the Lihu‘e Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
A free mobile testing van is available for walk-ins from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center on Wednesdays, Kilauea Neighborhood Center on Thursdays, Kalaheo Neighborhood Center on Fridays, Hanalei Neighborhood Center on Saturdays and Kapa‘a Neighborhood Center on Sundays.
Testing performed at the convention hall and through the mobile testing van is rapid PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Same-day results are sent via email.
•••
Sabrina Bodon, editor, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
