LIHU‘E — The county is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases attributed, in part, to fall break travel by residents, Mayor Derek Kawakami reported Monday.
“We now have two active clusters on the island that were started by residents who traveled off the island,” he said during his weekly County of Kaua‘i COVID-19 briefing.
One cluster is associated with travel to a neighbor island for a place of worship event, Kaua‘i Deputy District Health Officer Lauren Guest said.
“The other cluster is from a social gathering, associated with group travel to the mainland,” she said. “We will continue to monitor these clusters in the coming days and weeks.”
All other clusters the Department of Health was monitoring are no longer active, Guest said.
The Kaua‘i District Health Office reported 10 new cases on Monday, which were all of residents, including two children and eight adults.
Four of the cases are related to mainland, while the remaining six cases are considered community-acquired. Three of the community-acquired infections are close contacts of a previously announced case or are tied to an active cluster. The remaining three cases have no known source of infection.
Monday’s cases bring the number of active cases to 76, with three hospitalized. To date, the county has recorded 2,628 cumulative cases.
Halloween guidance
As Halloween weekend eeks closer, Kaua‘i District Health Officer Dr. Janet Berreman suggested trick-or-treating in small groups and avoiding indoor parties.
“For extra protection, consider including a cloth or surgical mask in your child’s costume,” Berreman said. “Most Halloween costume masks aren’t designed to prevent the spread of COVID, so don’t rely on a costume mask as a substitute.”
Berreman also suggested individually pre-packaged treats.
“Finally, if you’re sick — even with mild systems — stay home and don’t interact with the trick-or-treaters,” Berreman said. “If your children are sick, please keep them at home.
Free testing this week
Free testing is available at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihu‘e, weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Additionally, 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 the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapa‘a on Sundays. Testing performed at the Convention Hall and through the mobile testing van is rapid PCR. Same-day results are sent via email.
Free drive-thru testing is also available daily at Lihu‘e Pharmacy Group, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 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 your primary care physician, a hospital, or an urgent care clinic. Please contact those providers directly for more information. For more details, visit https://www.kauai.gov/covidtest.
