Kauaʻi COVID cases dip slightly; test positivity rate rises

LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i County’s COVID-19 case count remains elevated, but down from last week’s seven-day average.

As of Wednesday, the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency now reports 59 new local cases per day. Last week, Kaua‘i recorded an average of 63 new cases per day.

The actual number of new cases is higher, because HIEMA data does not incorporate at-home tests.

Despite its slightly-decreased case rate, test-positivity rate has increased, according to Mayor Derek Kawakami.

“The test positivity rate is up slightly at 24.3% – meaning that one out of every for people who came in to get tested last week, tested positive,” he said during his latest COVID-19 update.

“That’s higher than the statewide rate, now at 18%,” Kawakami continued.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to rate Kaua‘i County’s COVID-19 Community Level as “high.”

“There are no new mandates planned. Instead, we can all take precautions to protect ourselves and help slow the spread of COVID while our community is at high risk,” Kawakami said Thursday, reiterating a position shared by a spokesperson last week.

The state Department of Health’s Kaua‘i District Health Office is investigating several clusters among school-aged kids.

According to the mayor, many of the clusters announced Thursday appear to have had in-school transmission prior to the end of the school year.

COVID-19 clusters among schoolchildren and in work settings had been reported by Kaua‘i’s mayor for several weeks running.

But that trend has apparently shifted, slightly.

“There are also active clusters in healthcare and long-term care settings,” Kawakami said. “Our sick and elderly population are some of the most vulnerable here on Kaua‘i and in order to better protect them, it is a good idea to test yourself before visiting them.”

HIEMA’s online data dashboard indicated five are hospitalized on Kaua‘i due to COVID-19. None occupy an Intensive Care Unit bed, or have been ventilated.