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The Latest: 233 New Cases, 124 Inmates Now Positive; Surge Could Delay Tourism Reopening

AP Photo/Caleb Jones

Updated: 8/14/2020, 2:22 p.m.

 

The Hawaii Department of Health reported 233 COVID-19 cases today, down from yesterday's record 355 cases. The number of Oahu Community Correctional Center inmates testing positive has reached 124. No deaths were reported.

 

The latest cases increased the state total to 4,543 -- 4,117 on Oahu, 144 on Hawaii Island, 206 in Maui County, and 53 on Kauai. Twenty-three cases were diagnosed out of state. The death toll stands at 40. One case each from Maui and Honolulu were removed based on updated information.

 

Nolan Espinda, the director of the state Department of Public Safety, said today that the number of positive tests among inmates at Oahu Community Correctional Center had grown. The department said it now totals 124. He testified at an online hearing before Hawaii Supreme Court justices, who are considering whether to release of prisoners in light of the virus outbreak.

 

 

Yesterday, the health department reported two deaths of Oahu men. On Wednesday, the department reported four deaths of Oahu men and 202 new cases.

 

Two of the four deaths were reported Tuesday but added to Wednesday's numbers. Both men were over 60 years old. The additional two victims reported were between 40 and 59 years old, and at least one had underlying conditions. 

The state is now reporting the percent of positive results in tests. As of Aug. 13 based on a 7-day average, the rate stood at 6%. The World Health Organization says before a region can relax restrictions and begin reopening, it should be at or below 5% for 14 days.

Among new cases:

• Kauai's two new cases brings the active cases on the island to 6, the county said in a news release. One is a minor who is a household contact of a current active case. The second is a visiting adult who recently traveled to Kauai from out of state and has been in mandatory quarantine under the emergency order. Mayor Derek Kawakami said he hopes the 355 new cases yesterday serves as a wake-up call for visitors and residents that "this is simply not the time for leisurely travel."

• A second Oahu Family Court employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The Hawaii State Judiciary said in a release that this brings to three the number of court employees who have tested positive statewide. The latest case involves an employee who last worked at the courthouse on Tuesday and was asymptomatic. The worker was tested as a precaution and the result was confirmed yesterday. The court is closing the fourth floor of the Kapolei Courthouse for deep cleaning and disinfecting. Those with close, prolonged contact with the employee were directed to leave the building and advised to seek guidance from their medical providers. The Kapolei Judiciary Complex remains open and most Family Court proceedings at Kapolei will be rescheduled. Those with questions can call 808-954-8085.

--HPR's News Staff

Surge could delay tourism reopening, revive stay-at-home order

Hawaii Gov. David Ige says if COVID-19 cases continue to soar, he’ll have no choice but to delay the planned Sept. 1 reopening for trans-Pacific travelers who test negative for the virus and impose more restrictions on residents, including a return to the stay-at-home order.

Yesterday's record 355 coronavirus cases and two deaths that brought the toll to 40 were a shocking development for a state that had taken pride in its low infection rate and much-praised management of the virus.

Now Hawaii ranks among the states where newly reported deathshave had the highest growth in the past 14 days. It may only get worse, since deaths typically follow a few weeks after infections rise.

A delay in the Sept. 1 reopening would deal a severe blow to the state’s tourism industry that has been nearly fully crippled by the pandemic. During an online press conference yesterday, the governor did not appear optimistic that the date can stand.

"With the case count, increasing the way it has, it would be very difficult to implement and start the pre-travel testing program on Sept. 1, but we have not made that decision. We do want to see another few days of data to see what the impact of the increased restrictions have been on Oahu and we continue to work and speak with the hospitals, as you are aware.”

The state originally set Aug. 1 to begin to welcome back tourists without requiring they quarantine if they test negative. With cases increasing, the August date was delayed a month in hopes conditions would improve.

But now, with Oahu cases continuing to surge, the upward trend threatens plans to reopen and raises the possibility that the governor will reimpose even more restrictions, including the stay-at-home order that brought all but essential activities to a halt in late March.

In the past two weeks, Oahu bars have been closed and beaches and parks shut down, except to get to the ocean for approved activities. On Tuesday, the interisland travel quarantine was reimposed after Neighbor Island mayors became alarmed at the surge in COVID cases on Oahu.

"We hope that these measures will help control the virus," Ige said. "But if things do not get better, we will have no choice but to look at more restrictions. This could include going back to the stay-at-home orders, or other restrictive measures that we need to implement in order to stem the increase in the number of COVID cases."

Lt. Gov. Josh Green said the trend in hospitalizations is especially concerning.

He said more than 150 people are currently hospitalized for COVID-19. Oahu hospitals are already transferring patients and expanding ICU beds to accommodate new patients. He said many hospitals are reaching capacity, with 137 of 244 ICU beds in use.

Clarification: A previous version of this story reported 126 OCCC inmates testing positive based on DPS Director Nolan Espinda's court testimony. The department later issued a news release noting the total number is 124.

--HPR's Sandee Oshiro

HSTA prepares lawsuit to keep students off campus

The Hawaii teachers union plans to sue the state to stop schools from having students take in-person technology classes next week.

Schools begin the fall semester on Monday with online classes.

But some principals have scheduled in-person training for students -- as well as parents -- to learn how to use the technology.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association says the plan violates its contract. It’s taking two actions, filing a complaint with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board and planning a lawsuit next week.

The union says work conditions have drastically changed since it negotiated its contract in June. COVID-19 cases have surged, with the state reaching a record 355 cases yesterday. 

HSTA says that’s enough to require its contract to be re-negotiated with the state Department of Education.

In a statement, Superintendent Christina Kishimoto accused the union of keeping students from classes that can prepare them for distance learning. She called the union's claims misleading and a scare tactic that creates "anxiety at a time when we need sound leadership."

--HPR's Ashley Mizuo

IHS shelter turned into quarantine center

The Institute for Human Services men's shelter on Sumner Street has now been turned into a quarantine and isolation unit for COVID-19.

That update came yesterday afternoon from the governor’s coordinator on homelessness, Scott Morishige.  

Morishige said the homeless service system started preparing for the possibility of an outbreak of cases among the homeless in early March.

“I think we’re very fortunate that thanks to the diligence and hard work of our homeless service providers, including our shelter providers, Department of Human Services, Department of Health and our outreach providers, we have not had any large numbers of positive cases in the homeless service community to date," he said.

"And when we did start to see a growing number of cases, IHS were able to quickly respond and make the decision to safely quarantine and isolate individuals to reduce further community spread.”

Morishige says at least 20 residents at the IHS shelter in Iwilei have tested positive for COVID-19.

--HPR's Bill Dorman 

 

This is a developing story. Please check back for upates. Editor's note: We’d like to hear how you’re coping with the latest COVID-19 developments and the state's phased reopening. You can call our talkback line at 808-792-8217. Or e-mail us at talkback@hawaiipublicradio.org.

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