KDHO: 23 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday

LIHU‘E – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday.

Saturday’s cases consist of three visitors and 20 residents. Of the 23 cases, six are children and 17 are adults. Nine of the cases are related to travel – eight mainland and one interisland. The remaining 14 cases are considered community-acquired. Nine of the community-acquired cases are close contacts of previously announced cases or tied to the active restaurant cluster. The remaining five community-acquired cases have no known source of infection.

Two of the cases announced today are probable and no confirmatory testing will be conducted. One of today’s cases received their positive test results after their arrival on Kaua‘i.

All active cases are in isolation, and close contacts are being identified, offered testing, and directed to quarantine. Investigations are ongoing.

Today’s cases bring the number of active cases to 103, with two hospitalized, and 699 cumulative cases. Kaua‘i’s cumulative case count includes 645 confirmed locally, eight probable, and 46 positive cases diagnosed elsewhere, as they received their pre-travel test results after arriving on island.

Daily case counts continue to rise rapidly, despite the Department of Health’s efforts to perform comprehensive case investigation and contact tracing. If you test positive, please don’t wait to hear from the Department of Health before taking action: isolate yourself at home, and let those you’ve been in contact with know that they’ve been exposed. Your close contacts should quarantine and plan to be tested. Your prompt action makes a difference.

If you have symptoms or are feeling sick, you should isolate yourself immediately, stay away from household members, and not go out – including to work or school – unless you are seeking testing or getting health care. Those who have been vaccinated should still be tested if they believe they may have been exposed or if they feel sick.

Many cases are in residents who have traveled. If you plan a trip, please be vaccinated before you go. And whether or not you are vaccinated, follow Hawai‘i’s prudent rules and wear a mask in crowded indoor settings. Finally, please get tested 3 to 5 days after you return to Kaua‘i.

Vaccination is free and widely available on the island, including on weekends and evenings and pop-up vaccination opportunities at community sites. Many vaccination sites accept walk-ins. Residents aged 18 and older are eligible for any vaccine available at pharmacy, hospital, and clinic locations. The Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use in those 12 years of age and older, and are currently available at Wilcox Medical Center, Līhu‘e Longs, and Līhu‘e Safeway. For details on the vaccination sites, visit www.kauai.gov/vaccine.

Free testing is available at the Convention Hall, weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, a free mobile testing van is available for walk-ins from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center on Wednesdays, Kilauea Neighborhood Center on Thursdays, Kalāheo Neighborhood Center on Fridays, Hanalei Neighborhood Center on Saturdays, and Kapa‘a Neighborhood Center on Sundays. Testing performed at the Convention Hall and through the mobile testing van is rapid PCR. Same-day results are sent via email.

Testing is also available through your primary care physician, a hospital, or an urgent care clinic. Please contact those providers directly for more information. For more details, visit https://www.kauai.gov/covidtest.

For more information on the county’s COVID-19 response, visit www.kauai.gov/COVID-19.