LIHU‘E — The state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office announced 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, one visitor and 12 residents.
Of the 13 cases, two are children and 11 are adults. Five of the cases are related to mainland travel. The remaining eight cases are considered community-acquired. One of the community-acquired infections is a close contact of a previously announced case or tied to an active cluster. The remaining seven community-acquired cases have no known source of infection, including five whom investigators have been unable to reach after repeated attempts or who have refused to provide information.
Active cases are directed to isolate, and close contacts are being identified, offered testing and directed to quarantine. Investigations are ongoing.
Sunday’s cases bring the number of active cases to 140, with six hospitalized, and 2,396 cumulative cases.
Most reported cases are in residents who were infected in the community. Everyone, vaccinated or not, must follow Hawai‘i’s indoor-mask requirements and gathering-size limits.
Vaccination remains the most important action anyone can take to slow and prevent the spread of disease in the community, the DOH said in a release. Vaccinations are widely available to anyone 12 years of age or older and are free, safe and effective, according to the release.
Many vaccination sites accept walk-ins. Residents aged 18 and older are eligible for any vaccine available at pharmacy, hospital and clinic locations. The Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use in those 12 years of age and older, and is
available at Wilcox Medical Center, Lihu‘e Longs, Puhi Safeway, Kaiser Permanente Lihu‘e Clinic and Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i clinics in Waimea and Kapa‘a.
The vaccine van can be requested to any business, event or home by filling out the survey at surveymonkey.com/r/CBQCWY7 or by calling the DOH Kaua‘i District Health Office at 808-241-3495.
For details on the vaccination sites, visit kauai.gov/vaccine.
Free testing is available at the Lihu‘e Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. If there is a wait, people will receive tickets with a time to return for the test. Arrive anytime the clinic is open to receive a timed ticket. There is no need to arrive early.
Free drive-thru testing is available daily at Lihu‘e Pharmacy Group, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Kolopa Street. Appointments are highly recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. For an appointment, register online at PreventCOVIDHI.com or call 808-635-4968.
Testing is also available through primary-care physicians, hospitals and urgent-care clinics.
For more details, visit kauai.gov/covidtest.
For more information on the county’s COVID-19 response, visit kauai.gov/COVID-19.
