LIHU‘E —The Kaua‘i District Health Office reported one new positive case of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
LIHU‘E —The Kaua‘i District Health Office reported one new positive case of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Three cases were released from isolation, including one person who was hospitalized yesterday. Kaua‘i now has six active cases and a cumulative case total of 68 plus one probable.
Yesterday’s case involves a female resident who recently traveled off island. She became symptomatic after returning home and was tested through her medical provider, according to the county.
There is also a new case in a male visitor who recently traveled from the mainland and whose positive pre-travel test was reported after arrival on Kaua‘i. This case will not be added to Kaua‘i’s total case count because it was diagnosed out of state.
Both individuals are in isolation and close contacts are being identified, offered testing, and instructed to quarantine.
The Department of Health continues to contact trace. One active case remains hospitalized, and a second active case was hospitalized.
Post-travel testing is available to both residents and visitors who traveled to Kaua‘i from the mainland and participated in the state’s Safe Travel Program. Testing is available no sooner than 72 hours after arrival and up to 14 days, but the preferable time is five to seven days after arrival for best results. Many travelers are not on island that long and in those cases, a test three days after arrival is encouraged.
Hawai‘i health officials reported 156 new coronavirus infections statewide, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic in February to 15,318 cases.
No additional deaths were reported Wednesday.
If a pre-travel test result isn’t obtained until after the passenger arrives in Hawaii, that means he/she could have exposed everyone on the plane. Are all the passengers on the flight notified, quarantined, or tested? Or all of the above?
“There is also a new case in a male visitor who recently traveled from the mainland and whose positive pre-travel test was reported after arrival on Kaua‘i.”
So…he got a test somewhere that he couldn’t get the results before he traveled through multiple airports, boarded a plane for a minimum of 6 hours, possibly shared the virus with hundreds of passengers, flight attendants, airport employees, and baggage handlers, then landed on this small Island with very limited medical services only to be quarantined for 14 days and/or hospitalized. What part of that makes ANY sense?
And as of tomorrow travelers from Japan can visit here with just one pre-test, however upon return to their Country they must quarantine for 14 days! Again, what part of that makes any sense? We’re potentially contaminated, but they aren’t?
Yes the State needs tourism, but we also need stricter protections for residents, even moreso now that cases are exploding elsewhere!
It has been several days since I emailed Hawaii DOH, through its web site, requesting information regarding the Safe Travel Program. Information that I thought was not covered in the relevant web site. No response so far.
I have made an inquiry into PCR technical information of a trusted partner lab. This is the lab that would analyze the required pre travel test for me. I was told that they use an amplification of 37.1 cycles. According to Dr. Fauci, from a July 2020 interview, a cycle threshold of 35 and above is too sensitive and can result in a positive test of viral particles that are not infectious. Another source indicates that at 35 cycles there is a 3% chance that a positive test will be for infectious virus and 97% chance that a positive result will be for debris from some prior infection.
It would be interesting to see the follow up on the traveler who got his positive test results after arriving on island. What cycle was his test run at? Did he become symptomatic? Was there a retest on him? Generally, what was the disposition of his case?
I appreciate the concern the state has in attempting to control the virus. I am concerned that trusted partners are using too sensitive a PCR cycle setting (and if they are all using the same settings). The run of the mill traveler has to be able to make informed decisions as to whether or not to travel, particularly if the deck is stacked against them. Is there a reporter on TGI that is curious about unasked questions? I sure would like to hear the story of the traveler who arrived on island only to find he tested positive. How did he navigate the situation he found himself in? One other thing, is his case counted in the numbers used for determining what tier the county is in?
Many are going to be forced to deal with illness due to the rampant Covid-19 virus being incorporated into this island. It will get to a critical point based on other affected areas spreading quickly.God Speed. Focus on your health.