LIHU‘E — In line with the state’s uptick in cases, the state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office reported seven new COVID-19 infections Friday.
This marks a single-day high for the county.
Friday’s reported cases were among two adults and five children, all residents, the DOH reported. The cases are related to mainland travel.
“We are seeing entire families test positive after traveling to the mainland,” DOH Kaua‘i District Health Office Officer Dr. Janet Berreman said in a statement “This is a reminder that with the high rate of infection on the mainland, it is dangerous to travel there at this time.”
Prior to this, the county’s single-day high was five back in November, before Safe Travels was suspended.
Friday’s cases bring the number of on-island active cases to 20, with 191 cumulative cases.
Kaua‘i’s cumulative case count includes 164 confirmed locally, one probable, and 26 positive cases diagnosed elsewhere, as they received their pre-travel test results after arriving on island, according to the county.
The county has 31 people in directed quarantine as a result of being close contacts with people who have tested positive.
Statewide, there were 264 new cases, and four COVID-19-related deaths on O‘ahu Friday. These cases include 202 on O‘ahu, 22 on Maui, 10 on Hawai‘i Island, three on Kauai, two on Moloka‘i, and 25 residents diagnosed out of state. State and county case counts vary due to different reporting times.
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Sabrina Bodon, public safety and government reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
Dr. Berreman,
Perhaps you can explain to me why if “its dangerous to travel there”, it is not dangerous for them to travel here?
The state of California just issued guidance telling the residents not to travel more than 120 miles. Yet we open the island to them to come here. Worried because there are so many sick people around you in LA? Come to Hawaii and forget about it! Really?
Staying home will slow the spread of disease! But letting infected people onto the island without quarantine will increase infections! Lets have a concerted effort to address all of the factors causing the surge in infections.
You and Mayor Kawakami have an obligation to protect this community. Why is our District Health Officer issuing guidelines for travel that are not consistent with the Centers for Disease Control recommendations? Please respond to that question. I would like to hear the rationale being used to justify that.
Actually their obligation is to make sure their county is prepared to handle an influx of cases. Majority are a-symptomatic or mild symptoms. If they can’t find a way to provide us with economic opportunities then they should no be paid.
@Dr.Jim – Corrupt Kawakami is allegedly receiving deposits into his offshore accounts from Big Tourism interests (hotels, airlines) in exchange for opening Kauai back up to tourism this past autumn. Someone needs to investigate and audit him and his family members, because his decisions lately are completely contrary and downright dangerous to what is good for our small island community.
What are the odds of Kauai having 0 – 20 new cases of Covid – 19 per day for the next few years? I’ve heard 100%!
I have no sympathy for these irresponsible numbskulls. Taking vacations to the mainland at the height of a pandemic, and then bringing it back into our community, is not deserving of our aloha.
well susan what ever your name is, the article never specified the purpose of their trip, or did i miss that? Have you ever had your leg removed? ever had to travel up to the mainland to a specialist? had a bone infection? been subjected to a lack of services on kauai? had a family member in hospice in Vegas? No u have not because SUSAN you probably moved here from texas with a bmw last week. or is your name Karen? until u become god or Allah, no one cares what you think, beat it, piss off, on your bike. hele on. Glad im not married to you, sympathy? no…broomstick yes. and sign your last name, no hide behind one screen name.
“This is a reminder that with the high rate of infection on the Mainland, it is dangerous to travel there at this time.”
Hmmmmm……..would that not also mean that it is dangerous to travel FROM the Mainland also???!!!!
seems like the shipping companies and airlines need to stop coming here…..
So they say it’s not safe to travel to the mainland. I agree. But that also means it’s not safe to travel to our island. Why are we welcoming tourists that don’t have to quarantine. And the FDA has put out a warning that several genetic mutations of the virus test negative……………so back to not being able to trust testing.
“Why are we welcoming tourists that don’t have to quarantine?”
Because, @Robin, Mayor Kawakami is in in pocket of Big Airlines and Big Hotels special interests. He allegedly received some kind of off-the-books kickback or bribe in exchange for opening Kauai back up to tourism during the least ideal time. A professional forensic accountant would have to conduct the investigation into the Kawakami family’s offshore accounts, but that is the rumor going around.
This is why everyone coming to Hawaii from outside of the state and everyone traveling interisland need to be tested three days prior to boarding a plane. This would make “Safe Travels” a little bit safer, it won’t be perfect but it would make the health risk more manageable (don’t need mandatory quarantine).
Blame the mayor on this one for opting out of “Safe Travels” which provided no incentive for this family to get tested before coming home to Kauai (Mandatory quarantine). It is likely that more than one family member was positive boarding the plane and exposed 100’s of people to the virus.
It is almost beyond comprehension that the leaders responsible for the Safety of everyone on Kauai are so irresponsible.
The main reason for this occurring is that they continue to miss the fact that people are not REQUIRED to have a negative COVID test before boarding a plane to Kauai. No negative COVID test or even if you have a negative COVID test means that you have to quarantine at home for 10 days. There is no requirement or incentive to have a COVID test before traveling to Kauai…just be prepared to quarantine for 10 days. So a family of 2 adults and 5 children can either spend $150 X 7 family members for a total of $1050 for COVID testing before flying and upon arrival quarantine for 10 days at home or spend $ ZERO dollars on COVID testing before flying and upon arrival quarantine 10 days.
Negative COVID test should be required before boarding the plane to Kauai. This will reduce risk to all passengers on the plane and everyone they come into contact with before boarding the plane, on the plane and everyone at the Kauai airport and their travel home. This is a no brainer! Hello…is anyone listening???
Also should be able to test out of quarantine after 3 days with negative COVID test.
You all are right on.
So do not travel, either way to or from Kauai.
Facts are, Covid is an extreme danger here in Orange County. L.A is worse.
————————————-
Nov 01 2020 to Jan 9, 2021
Total Oange Co. cases”
58,000 to 192, 000
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Dana Point, or home town
about the same population as Kauai Island.
313 to 987
We are not traveling to Kauai or anywhere. We are practicing all of the suggestion by the CDC and other responsible professionals .
We do not wish to contract or pass on Covid to anyone.
We visited kauai annually for 12 years , then moved over as full time Kauai residents for 10 years. We are now back in Dana Point, Ca, a wonderful OC beach community.
We love Kauai Island and our friends and the people but we will not travel there until this Covid beast is history. We will not take the chance of passing it on to anyone. We are covid free and intend to stay that way.
Take care, stay smart, stay safe, stay healthy and hold off on traveling.
You let people come vac here !!! Yet you write this column for us to read!!
How pathetic our leaders here
So these 7 people tested negative for the 72 hour before flying covid test – to Kaua’i and when did they test positive on Kaua’i??
“In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.”
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
The State is making decisions for Kauai, our local officials are not in control.