LIHU‘E — In a record-high count Tuesday the state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office reported 120 new cases of COVID-19 on Kaua‘i.
This is nearly double the previous county-high of 62 new cases reported on Sept. 2.
Because of this “rapidly rising case count,” the KDHO will no longer be providing a breakdown of new cases, according to Kaua‘i District Health Officer Dr. Janet Berreman said.
“This allows timely public notification of the number of new cases,” Berreman said in a statement.
“Information about resident-versus-visitor cases, travel-versus-community-acquired and age distribution will continue to be available on the Department of Health’s online data dashboard. The daily case counts reported by KDHO continue to be in advance of case totals reported by the state.”
Since the early days of the pandemic, the KDHO has offered in-depth reports ahead of daily statewide counts, which are delayed.
Over the last week, the county, in conjunction with state global trends, has seen a rise in infections, most notably attributed to the omicron variant, which data has shown to be more transmissible than other variants. According to the DOH dashboard, the county has seen a 253% climb in new cases from the period of Dec. 13 to 26.
The county currently has a 6.4% test positivity rate, while the state sees a 12.2% average test positivity rate.
The county currently has 353 reported active cases, with four hospitalized.
To date, Kaua‘i has recorded 3,798 cumulative cases.
Recent data has shown that the omicron variant is causing more-severe disease and hospitalization in younger children. Monoclonal antibody treatments that were effective against the delta variant, Berreman said, have not been working as well on the omicron variant.
Pediatric vaccines for those 5 to 11 are available at Walmart, Longs Drugs at Kukui Grove Center in Lihu‘e and Kaiser Permanente.
Wilcox Medical Center will host a pediatric vaccine clinic Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. The center hosts a clinic for those 12 and older today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are required for third and booster doses, and walk-ins are welcome for first and second doses.
To schedule an appointment, visit wilcoxhealth.org/vaccine.
The Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waimea has a walk-in-accepted pediatric clinic today from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihu‘e is open today and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The testing center is closed Friday in observation of the New Year’s holiday.
Additionally, a free mobile testing van is available for walk-ins from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center today, Kilauea Neighborhood Center on Thursdays and the Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapa‘a on Sundays. The testing clinics normally open in Kalaheo on Fridays and Hanalei on Saturdays will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 in observation of the holiday, and will reopen the following week.
Free drive-thru testing at Lihu‘e Pharmacy will be closed on New Year’s Day and reopen on Sunday, Jan. 2. Appointments can be made at AlohaClear.com.
Historically, nobody has ever given much attention to diseases that kill off old people. It’s the one’s that start wiping out young adults and children that get our attention and induce us to take precautions. However, things are changing with the Omicron variant. This thing is packing ICUs in NY with very sick toddlers and young children. These kids are literally fighting for their lives on ventillators. It spreads like crazy, and it could eventually mutate into a highly contagious child/young adult killer. It’s already killed more people than the Spanish Influenza of 1918-20. If it hasn’t gotten your attention by now, and you’re still stubbornly anti-vaxing, anti-masking, and clamoring for your right to make other people deathly sick, then you’re beyond reproach. Hopefully we won’t start seeing a lot of pediatric deaths before vaccines begin to find their way through thick skulls.
No data supports your outrageous claims. Everyone do yourself a favor and look at the data yourselves. It is all publicly available
Can’t speak to the exact NYC figures re Omicron’s impact on children, but Dudomatic is correct regarding Covid-19 vs 1918/19 “Spanish” ‘flu. In the US the ‘flu killed 675,000 we are over 800,000 for Covid-19 in the US right now.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-commemoration/1918-pandemic-history.htm
No data! It must be a world wide hoax.
Look at the numbers,read the medical reports, not social media .
Hey! Let’s all have fear! It’s better than knowledge and reality! Seriously, use common sense. Vaccinated or not, the latest strain doesn’t care. And who knows what the next strain will look like. But let’s also not ignore that many that have died or suffered serious health issues from the vaccine. No, I’m not anti-vaccine. I have mine and the booster. Vaccinated or not, it’s probably best to wear a mask, distance, and keep your hands clean. No need for fear. It provides nothing of value in return. Knowledge and common sense does. Live! Don’t fear.
Thank you YuCalJoe! Always nice to hear common sense!!!
I’ve got covid two times in last 3 months .vaccination .does help with symptoms my experience is covid is worst headache you ever for about 4-5 days .followed with extreme fatigue.sunshine and excercise seems to be best treatment .if you just lie around on your back it will go into your lungs.I am no longer afraid of covid just cautious.I feel covid needs to spread so it burns it self out .except kapuna and immune compromised must be extremely careful