LIHU‘E — A Kaua‘i resident has tested positive for COVID-19 following a voluntary post-travel test from the County of Kaua‘i, the state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office announced Sunday.
The new case is an adult male resident who recently returned home from the mainland, receiving a quarantine exemption by testing negative prior to flying to Kaua‘i through the state’s Safe Travels program.
The resident is now in isolation, and one close contact is in quarantine.
“We know COVID-19 can cause mild or no symptoms in some people, and exposure can happen when traveling,” said Dr. Janet Berreman, Kaua‘i district health officer.
“Getting a free test three or more days after you return from travel is a responsible thing to do to keep our community safe and healthy. Mahalo to all of the travelers who have been tested,” she said.
The county’s post-travel test is free to all returning trans-Pacific travelers who are Kaua‘i residents. A similar voluntary post-travel test is also being offered to trans-Pacific travelers who are visitors to the island.
To be eligible for the county’s post-travel-testing program, residents or visitors must have participated in the state’s pre-travel testing program and are asked to take the post-travel test no sooner than 72 hours following arrival on Kaua‘i.
“The county’s post-travel-testing program adds another layer of protection for our community, and we are thankful that this resident was responsible and considerate to participate on his own accord,” said Mayor Derek Kawakami said.
“Although it is not required, we encourage everyone — residents and visitors — to take a post-travel test, especially if you have recently traveled out of state.”
The new case brings Kaua‘i’s
current active cases to one, with six individuals in quarantine. The investigation of the most recent case is ongoing. The island’s cumulative total of cases to date is now at 61, with one probable case.
The DOH reported 121 new positive cases for Sunday, including 49 on O‘ahu, 16 on Lana‘i, two on Maui, 51 on Hawai‘i Island and two from out of state. This brings the state’s cumulative total to 14,672 cases reported since Feb. 28. Two previous cases were removed due to updated laboratory information.
The Associated Press said that about half of all U.S. states have seen their highest daily coronavirus infection numbers so far at some point during October. The country, as a whole, came very close to back-to-back record daily infection rates on Friday and Saturday.
Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that 83,718 new cases were reported Saturday, just short of the 83,757 infections reported Friday. Prior to that, the most cases reported in the U.S. on a single day was 77,362 in July.
OMG!!! Not another positive COVID-19 case!!!
Case Fatality Rates across the world = 2-5%
Infection Fatality Rates across the world = .3-1%
Less than 50 years old,,,,, you have less than a 1 in 1000 chance of contracting the virus and dying.
Yes, let’s burn the economy to the ground and create more deaths from suicide, physical abuse, delayed surgeries, and drug abuse, while at the same time, prevent young students from getting an education at school and college. Stop the madness!!! God help us if Joey wins the election next week……Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh more lockdowns and quarantines !!!!!!!!
It seems quite unfair to charge our visitors for a second COVID virus test. If the test we’re free I am sure many more visitors would volunteer to take a second test. They’ve already paid $125-$250 for the first test.
As I understand it, the test kits were given to our island from the CARE act!
Also, Is it illegal to charge for something that our county received free of charge?
This is just one positive case in someone who was negative just several days prior. If it weren’t for 1) the good thinking of the returning resident and 2) the offer of a free test upon arrival, unknowingly, this person could have spread the virus to many others on Kauai. Mayor, please make the second test mandatory and protect Kauai.
Here we go. As the rates of infection goes up on the mainland the number of people getting through this rather lame program depending on the traveler to follow up on their own. Thankfully this Kauaian decided to follow through and do a follow-up but how many don’t? Where did this person go shopping, exercising, church on the island before he voluntarily came in for a test? Thank goodness we are wearing masks!
What’s important is, were they wearing theirs?
Oh my !! 1 person tested positive out of 10s of thousands of people on Kauai. Stop the press! Shut down travel. Close small businesses. Cases are surging across the world…:however death rates are down. Treatments for the virus are getting much better.
Yawn…
That’s great. Nobody should feel left off. Nobody.
The Garden Island is irresponsible in its poll about the return of tourists. It includes “With a certain single finger” as one of the options for how tourists should be greeted. Don’t the idiots at this newspaper realize that without tourism this state wouldn’t have a pot to pee in financially? Ours is an economy with a single engine. Absolutely everything in Hawaii comes thanks to the economic infusion of tourist dollars and that’s thanks to corrupt Democrats who are just fine with this status quo and have done nothing to diversify the economy. Next time you feel like flipping the bird to a tourist, remember all the former residents of Kauai who had to move elsewhere because no tourists were allowed in for seven months. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
I thinks sec test is needed to protect kauai pleas make it mandatory to protect our tutus and jelia.