LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i saw its fifth covid death in as many weeks, as a man in his 40s succumbed to the virus while hospitalized.
The man’s age is an outlier among COVID-19 fatalities — statewide only 10% of those who died as a result of the disease were under the age of 50. The vast majority of statewide COVID-19 deaths (96%) have been individuals with at least one underlying condition.
Though case counts remain relatively high, Kaua‘i’s 7-day average case counts declined for the fourth consecutive week, to 32 cases a day. Last week saw a daily average of 46 cases and the two weeks prior saw averages of 57 and 65.
“These numbers are higher because this data doesn’t include home tests,” Mayor Derek Kawakami said in his weekly COVID-19 update. The positivity rate likewise saw a decline, to 21% down from 23% last week. The statewide rate is 16.5 percent.
“Our hospitals and healthcare system are managing cases and have adequate capacity,” said Kawakami.
COVID at Kaua‘i Community Correctional Facility
After sitting unused for nearly a year, the Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center’s (KCCC) temporary medical isolation housing unit is finally operational (at least partially).
The unit, essentially a shipping container partitioned into four rooms intended to isolate infected inmates, arrived in July 2021 but due to delays installing plumbing and electrical, it was not utilized until last month.
Three of the four rooms were put into operation in May to house COVID cases, Hawai‘i Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer Toni Schwartz reported. The fourth room, an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) unit that requires specialized plumbing, is nearing completion. Once the plumbing is completed the fourth room will be operational.
In the past, KCCC has been able to place inmates who have tested positive into medical isolation but lack of isolation facilities and overcrowding has forced them to shorten intake quarantine periods.
As of June 28, three people at KCCC had active COVID cases. In total, 240 KCCC inmates have tested positive for the virus.
These $125,000 units were also installed at other jails and prisons throughout the state, and units at the Maui Community Correctional Center, Oahu Community Correctional Center, and Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center are now in use.
Halawa Correctional Facility and Waiawa Correctional Facility are in final stages of utility, accessibility or security hardware installation, with expected completion dates within the next 3 months, Schwartz said, while the Women’s Community Correctional Center container is still enroute.
WCF has seen a surge in positive cases recently, with 31 active positive cases as of June 28.
Prisons and jails have been a source of COVID outbreaks throughout the country.
According to the COVID Prison Project, there have been 595,865 COVID-19 cases among people incarcerated in prisons and 2,899 COVID-19 deaths of incarcerated individuals nationwide.
Statewide, there have been 4,955 COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths in prisons.
Vaccines and testing
The Center for Disease Control continues to encourage vaccinations to prevent the spread of the virus.
As of last week, the Moderna vaccine is now eligible for use among children ages 6 to 17 — the Pfizer vaccine was already available for people in this age group.
Moderna and Pfizer were recently granted an Emergency Use Authorization for children under 5 years old meaning that everyone aged six months and above are eligible. Young children receive smaller doses than older children and adults.
On Kaua‘i, 78% of the population has recieved at least one dose of the vaccine, while 72% completed the primary series and 41% have received a booster shot.
Vaccines now are available through Wilcox, Kaiser Lihue, and Ho’ola Lahui clinics.
Check kauai.gov/vaccine for updates and additional locations.
Free COVID PCR testing is still available weekdays at the war memorial convention hall, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The mobile testing van is now on a weekday schedule. You can get a free test Mondays at the Hanalei Neighborhood Center, Tuesdays at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapa‘a, Wednesdays at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center, Thursdays at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center, and Fridays at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. It’s closed Monday, July 4th.
