Maps courtesy Hawaiʻi Department of Health. Note a change in the map for Hawaiʻi Island shows more cases have been identified in Kona.

(BIVN) – There are 22 newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaiʻi, bringing the cumulative total number of cases statewide to 464. Of those cases, 9% have required hospitalization, and over 80% were residents returning from other areas.

Two new deaths were also reported by the health department, bringing the total number statewide to 8.

UPDATE – In response to the report of two additional fatalities, Governor David Ige said, “This is another sad day for Hawaiʻi. On behalf of our entire community, I would like to express my condolences to the families and friends of two more of our neighbors who lost their lives to COVID-19. Please accept my deepest sympathy and support during this difficult time.”

The 7th death was an older adult woman from Honolulu who was medically frail and hospitalized, the state reported. The 8th death was an elderly male hospitalized at Maui Memorial Medical Center in the Chronic Care Unit.

The state says that the total number of COVID-19 cases on Hawaiʻi Island has increased by 3 to 31 cases. Of those, 25 have been released from isolation.

According to a Friday morning message from the County of Hawaiʻi, the total number of COVID-19 cases is 29. Civil defense said:

The total number of people tested positive for Hawaiʻi Island is 29. From this, 22 have been cleared as recovered by the Department of Health. The remaining 7 are quarantined at home and being carefully monitored by your Department of Health. At this date for Hawaiʻi Island, no one tested positive had to be hospitalized.

As a reminder COVID-19 drive-through testing will be conducted tomorrow, April 11th, at the Hilo Civic Center. Hours are from 8 in the morning till 3 o’clock in the afternoon. You are asked to bring a picture ID and your own pen.

Thank you, Premier Medical Group and Bay Clinic for doing this. know that testing means early detection, early treatment, protection of our loved ones, and our community.

A huge mahalo nui loa to Hawaiʻi Island Food Basket and all the volunteers and contributors for their program of Food Drop.

Remember to stay socially connected to our kupuna and to all stay
healthy, physically and emotionally, and wear a mask.

Thank you for listening and a Good Friday to you this is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense.

Hawaiʻi Passenger Arrivals By Air (HTA)

Yesterday, 663 people arrived in Hawaii including 107 visitors and 171 residents. In comparison, during this same time last year, nearly 30,000 passengers arrived in Hawaii daily, including residents and visitors. Yesterday marked two weeks since the state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started for all passengers arriving in Hawaii from out of state. Those who arrived on March 26th and 27th no longer need to self-quarantine. The quarantine order was expanded on April 1st to include interisland travelers. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel.

State DOH Statement On Laboratory Testing

The Department of Health (DOH) supports testing of individuals with symptoms and is not advocating mass testing at this time. DOH’s current recommendations align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only certain people with COVID-like symptoms such as fever or cough need to be tested. People who have COVID-like symptoms and who have chronic medical conditions or are older should be tested because they’re at risk for severe disease and knowing whether they have COVID may affect their healthcare treatment. Most other people who are sick do not need to be tested since many will have mild illness and are able to recover at home, so testing will not change their treatment or the need to stay home until they are well.

In general, DOH recommends testing only symptomatic persons because laboratories are facing ongoing shortages of kits and consumable supplies. Personal protective equipment (PPE) required to collect specimens and to perform testing are also in critically short supply. Indiscriminate use will further shortages placing healthcare and laboratory personnel at risk for infection. Close contacts who adhere to 14-day quarantine rules will effectively minimize their risk to others. Testing asymptomatic contacts will not change or shorten their quarantine requirement. Testing of asymptomatic persons should be reserved for selected situations as guided by specific public health or infection control objectives (e.g., to implement cohorting during a nursing home outbreak).

Emergency Farmer Relief Program

From the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture:

The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is currently reviewing requests for assistance under the COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Program which offers some financial assistance to qualified farmers, ranchers and producers who have experienced damage to their operations due to COVID-19.

The funds for the program, totaling $250,000, are being utilized from the State’s barrel tax fund (Agriculture Development and Food Security Special Fund) which was made available through Gov. David Ige’s March 4 emergency proclamation. Relief funds may be used to help utilize an oversupply of agricultural products resulting from the decreased demand due to closures of restaurants, schools and other businesses.

Applications were accepted until March 27 and 333 proposals were received, requesting a total of more than $1.1 million dollars. However, since the available program funding totaled just $250,000, proposals are currently being reviewed and prioritized for distribution.

Under the emergency program, eligible applicants including individual farming operations may receive a maximum of $2,000. Also, non-profit organizations, commodity groups, agricultural associations with 501(c)(3) status may apply for a maximum of $10,000 in relief funds. The review and award process is expected to be completed next week and funds are expected to be sent out later this month.

“The overwhelming number of requests is an indication on how this crisis is severely impacting Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industries,” said Gov. David Ige. “This COVID-19 situation makes us all more appreciative of our local food producers and acutely underscores why increasing our state’s food security has been so very important.”

“We all need to make sure that our farmers, ranchers and other food producing operations can survive through and eventually recover from this crisis,” said Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser, chairperson of the Hawaiʻi Board of Agriculture (HBOA). “We ask that Hawaiʻi consumers continue to support our local farmers and food producers through direct and indirect sales at farmers’ markets and community-supported agricultural efforts. Buy local, it matters.”

In addition to the state funds, the Ulupono Initiative is contributing $20,000 to specifically help Hawaiʻi’s hog farmers who now need to purchase feed due to the unavailability of food scraps from restaurants that have closed. This contribution was made possible through a grant from the Ulupono Fund at the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.

To provide further financial assistance to agricultural producers, HDOA’s Agricultural Loan Division will seek approval next week from the HBOA to establish an Emergency Agricultural Loan Program. Upon approval, agribusinesses may apply for low-interest emergency loans, which waives some of the normal requirements for ag loans. In addition, farmers with existing agricultural loans may contact HDOA’s loan officers to work out a payment relief plan.

The department is also considering deferring rent payments for lessees currently in the state’s agricultural land programs.