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The Latest: 2 Deaths, 142 New Cases; New State Proclamation Takes Effect; Maui Launches New App

Ryan Finnerty/HPR

Updated 12/17/20, 12:03 p.m.

Governor David Ige released his latest COVID-19 proclamationfor the state Wednesday. It extends the eviction moratorium and reducing the mandatory quarantine for travelers. The latest rules go into effect today.

In Governor Ige's latest proclamation, travelers who do not participate in the state's pre-travel testing program will not have to quarantine for 14 days. Instead, they will have to quarantine for ten days.

Ige says this is based on recommendations from the state Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control. Earlier this month, the CDC announced it was shortening the quarantine period based on new research and data.

The eviction moratorium is extended until February 14, 2021.

Where we stand

The state Department of Health reported 142 new cases and two fatalities Thursday.

According to the state's numbers, O?ahu had 113 new cases, Maui 7, Hawai?i County 15, Kaua?i 1, Lanai and Moloka?i had none.

The latest state counts bring the O?ahu total to 16,656, Hawai?i County 1,763, Maui 735, Kaua?i 135, Lanai 106 and Moloka?i 22. The number of out-of-state cases totals 314.

Since the pandemic began, the state has tallied 19,731 cases. The death toll stands at 280.

Maui County launches AlohaSafe app

Maui is the first county in the state to launch an app to notify users of possible COVID-19 exposure. The AlohaSafe Alert app launched yesterday, after undergoing pilot tests on Lanai and in Hana in November.

"The AlohaSafe app helps people know that they might have been exposed to the virus and should consider getting tested as soon as possible," said Mayor Michael Victorino. 

"This is especially important now as our community awaits the broad distribution of the vaccine against the virus."

The AlohaSafe Alert app was developed by the state Department of Health, aio Foundation, the Hawaii Executive Collaborative and others as a tool to fight COVID-19. It is part of a nationwide effort to assist in curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

County officials say the app protects an individual's privacy, adding no personal data leaves the phone unless the owner chooses to share the information with the state health department.

After the app is downloaded, the phone uses Bluetooth technology to anonymously communicate with other phones that also have a similar application. 

"We urge people to download this app, because widespread use of this technology by residents and visitors alike would make it most effective in our fight against this disease," Victorino said.

The app is free, and can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play.

More information about the app can be found at www.alohasafealert.org

City hosts last major food distribution on Friday

The City & County of Honolulu will be hosting the last major food distribution event of the year on Friday.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Wednesday the last major food distribution event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. The event will help roughly 3,500 households -- who are already pre-registered to receive food.

Event organizers are encouraging those who do need assitance to get visit the Hawaii Food Bank website to get on the wait list.

Caldwell says to date, the city and its partners have helped nearly 80,500 households and distributed more than 3.6 million pounds of food since the start of the pandemic in March.

He says the city has also allocated approximately $17 million in federal CARES Act funds toward various food assistance programs.

Meanwhile on Maui, the county will be holding a food distribution event on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the War Memorial Gym parking lot in Wailuku.

The distribution is open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Motorists are asked to make right turns only from Kanaloa Avenue to Halia Nakoa Street to access the parking lot. 

HPD Chief accepts responsibility for overtime abuse

Honolulu Police chief Susan Ballard is accepting responsibility for the abuse of overtime pay by more than 50 officers.

Earlier this month, Ballard said HPD was investigating an incident where officers logged more than 130 hours of overtime in a five-week period for COVID-related enforcement. She later disbanded the department's COVID response unit.

Ballard took blame for the incident during a special council executive matters and legal affairs committee meeting Wednesday -- where members asked about the findings of a city audit of HPD and the overtime abuse.

"It was an oversight on my part, a mistake on my part," Ballard said. "I just thought that if I sent out the guidelines, then they would abide by those guidelines for the short period of time."

"I can't assume that people are just going to follow."

Ballard denied the officers abused the system, saying they performed their duties. She told council members that she should have set up the COVID response to other HPD programs that limits officer overtime.

Ballard told the committee she is open to recommendations to improve department policies.

-- HPR's Casey Harlow

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