Visitor quarantine not enforced, $250k in masks and protective gear stolen from Honolulu warehouse, first Maui COVID-19 death, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Royal Hawaiian hotel in Waikiki ©2020 All Hawaii News

Hotels for Heroes kicks off across the state. Hotels for Heroes was established through a partnership with the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Authority, Hawaii Tourism Authority, and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau that provides hotel rooms for COVID-19 first responders. KITV4.

Quarantine of Hawaii interisland visitors lacks enforcement. A mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for interisland passengers began last week, but so far, the counties haven’t received timely information about which arriving passengers need to be monitored, and no one is making compliance calls. Star-Advertiser.

State tourism agency pays to send visitors home. The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH) returned two homeless men to Los Angeles on Monday, the first day of the nonprofit’s COVID-19 flight assistance program. Star-Advertiser.

Visitors to Hawaii increase since Thursday, with Sunday bringing largest gains. The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported today that Sunday’s trans-Pacific passenger count was 583, including 126 visitors and 233 residents. The count also included 151 airline crew members, 38 transit passengers, and 29 intended new residents for Oahu and six for Kona. Star-Advertiser.

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Hawaii National Guard screening arriving passengers. Clad in protective face masks, gloves and eyewear, Hawaii National Guard soldiers used infrared thermometers to take arriving passengers’ temperatures at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

National Guard Now Checking Passengers For Fevers At Hawaii Airports. The screenings are expected to be happening at all state airports by the end of the week. Civil Beat.

Hawaii National Guard Now Screening Airport Passengers. National Guard soldiers today began the medical screening of incoming and departing passengers at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Big Island Video News.

National Guard placed at arrival gates and security checkpoints. In total 342 guardsmen are assisting the county and state with a support mission that was put in motion last Friday. KITV4.

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Hawaii’s number of new virus cases falls but worst yet to come. Lab results have shown roughly 2.7% of those tested in Hawaii have COVID-19. That rate has remained steady since late last week with nearly 14,000 tests completed. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Is Flattening Curve, But “Not Out Of The Woods Yet”. Hawaiʻi appears to be “flattening the curve” and preventing a devastating spike in COVID-19 cases by adhering, for the most part, to social distancing recommendations and the statewide, stay-at-home order. At least, so far. Big Island Video News.

Hawai‘i Coronavirus Curve Not Flattened Yet, Officials Say. The coronavirus curve has not flattened in Hawai‘i despite descending numbers of reported cases over the previous two days. Big Island Now.

State officials express cautious optimism, but we’re not out of the woods. The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the state is now up to five. Our statewide total of cases stands at 387. Of those, 26 have required hospitalization and so far 89 patients have recovered. KHON2.

'Not out of the woods’: Officials urge residents to stay at home as COVID-19 cases near 400. The governor and state health officials on Monday said a slight decline in the daily number of reported COVID-19 cases is reason to be optimistic ― but not to stop following stay-at-home orders aimed at preventing the further spread of the disease. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii COVID-19 Cases Nears 400. A fifth death related to the coronavirus has been confirmed. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Updates: Cases At 387, Maui Death; State Death Estimate Cut; Molokai, Hana Hit With 1st Cases. Hawaii Public Radio.

DOH Confirms 16 New COVID-19 Cases, Fifth Virus-Related Death. Another 16 cases of coronavirus were reported in Hawai‘i overnight, raising the statewide total to 387, and the first death on a neighbor island was confirmed Monday morning. Big Island Now.

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Speakers offer grim economic assessment. Speakers painted a bleak picture Monday of Hawaii’s near-term economic future during a teleconference conducted by the state House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness. Tribune-Herald.

State eases welfare requirements. State Department of Human Services Director Pankaj Bhanot said Monday that eligibility restrictions will be loosened for general assistance payments — commonly known as welfare — because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tribune-Herald.

Unemployment office launches new call center to speed up processing of claims. The state’s unemployment office launched a phone bank Monday in an effort to speed up help for those who have already filed a claim. Hawaii News Now.

Applications for food stamps, Medicaid soar as layoffs mount in Hawaii. Last week, the state Department of Human Services saw about 550 applications a day for food stamps, formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and/or cash welfare. That’s roughly double the typical average. Hawaii News Now.

Innovation Can Save Some Restaurants, But Many Face Financial Peril. Restaurants employ 13% of Hawaii workers. Many of those businesses face an existential threat from the coronavirus pandemic, but some are already finding success in the new reality. Hawaii Public Radio.

Shuttered businesses are finding that insurance plans often don’t cover pandemic costs. Business interruption claims are being denied because pandemics and viruses are excluded in most policies. Hawaii News Now.

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State leaders say there’s been a rise in domestic violence cases since stay-at-home order. It's been nearly two weeks since Governor David Ige issued a mandatory "stay-at-home" order for all Hawaii residents in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. However, for some, home is not the safest place. Hawaii News Now.

Checks could go to some Hawaii renters. While many are awaiting government stimulus checks, some residents could get a different kind of check next week. But instead of coming from federal funds, it would come from their own money. KITV4.

Hawaii researchers seek clues to COVID-19 risk in DNA. A University of Hawaii Cancer Center researcher and a local genomics company are trying to decipher why COVID-19 hits some people much harder than others — by examining their DNA. Star-Advertiser.

Matson makes provisions to increase debt load. Hawaii’s largest ocean cargo carrier, Matson Inc., has increased its capacity to borrow money in the face of increasing economic uncertainties tied to the coronavirus pandemic. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu police issue 353 citations for stay-at-home violations; 3 officers have COVID-19. Honolulu Police Department reported today that three officers have COVID-19 and that the department has issued thousands of warnings and hundreds of citations for emergency law violations. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Police To Increase Stay-At-Home Order Enforcement. Violators could face up to a $5,000 fine and/or one year in prison. Civil Beat.

3 HPD officers test positive for COVID-19. The Honolulu Police Department has confirmed that a third officer has tested positive for the virus. KHON2.

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$250,000 worth of personal protective equipment stolen from Oahu health care company. Some $250,000 worth of N95 masks and surgical gloves was discovered stolen Saturday from an Oahu health care company that has been distributing them to its health care workers and selling them at cost to first responders across the state. Star-Advertiser.

Thieves steal $250K worth of protective gear that was destined for hospitals, first responders. A huge haul of personal protective equipment — valued at $250,000 — was stolen over the weekend from Wilson Care Group. Hawaii News Now.

Thieves Steal $250k Worth Of Protective Gear. Local medical providers have been waiting for the N95 masks, face shields and gloves that were stolen. Civil Beat.

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Postal Service makes changes after Honolulu employee tests positive for COVID-19. The employee at the Honolulu mail processing and distribution center was diagnosed with COVID-19 last week. There are about 500 workers who use the facility to process more than 1.5 million pieces of mail each day, according to USPS officials. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu Traffic Is Gone, For All The Wrong Reasons. A deadly pandemic is no way to solve the state’s traffic woes. But the crisis might encourage more people to work remotely once things improve. Civil Beat.

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Mayor criticized for resuming Sherwood project. Mayor Kirk Caldwell rejected calls to postpone construction out of fear that it will lead to protests, which could increase the spread of the new coronavirus. Star-Advertiser.

Construction Resumes At Waimanalo Park Despite Pandemic And Protest. Defying orders to stay home, residents showed up on Monday morning to oppose the controversial project. Civil Beat.


Mayor defends decision to move forward with Waimanalo park project that drew protests. The mayor is defending his decision to move forward with a controversial Waimanalo park project that drew protesters Monday, despite the stay-at-home order. Hawaii News Now.

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Oahu real estate market held up in March ahead of expected decline. Hawaii real estate agents are essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic, but the local housing market is in turmoil. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hilo restaurants reeling. Restaurant owners in Hilo are struggling to stay positive while changing the way they are operating during the COVID-19 outbreak. Tribune-Herald.

Kreuzer back at the helm as acting CEO of Kona, Kohala hospitals. Jay Kreuzer, who retired as Kona CEO of Kona and Kohala hospitals, in 2019 is back at the helm again. West Hawaii Today.

Both lanes of Alii Drive open in Kailua Village after sinkhole repair. Isemoto Contracting Ltd. crews had been working since late January to repair damage caused by years of erosion that undermined the seawall exposed to Oneo Bay, ultimately causing a portion of the makai shoulder to sink and the wall to buckle in late December 2019. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui suffers ‘tragic news’ of its first COVID-19 death. Maui experienced its first COVID-19-related death, an older man with underlying health conditions, officials announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

First Maui County resident dies of COVID-19. A Maui County resident has died of COVID-19, marking the first fatality in the county related to the virus, Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino announced Monday morning. Maui News.

Maui County Suffers Its First COVID-19 Related Death. The Hawai‘i Department of Health has confirmed the first COVID-19 related death in Maui County, Mayor Michael Victorino announced this morning. Maui Now.

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Mayor Victorino says he’s considering roadblocks, restricting shoppers. After three confirmed cases in the rural areas of Molokai and Hana, Mayor Victorino said grocery stores there have temporarily switched to a call-in, pick-up service. He said non-workers will not be allowed in the stores. KHON2.

Hāna Town to Undergo Sanitization Effort, New Shopping Procedures to Follow. The remote community of Hāna in East Maui will move forward with sanitation of businesses and public places on Tuesday and then transition to a new shopping process once stores reopen, according to an update on Sunday evening provided by Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English. Maui Now.

Restrooms to Open at Kalama, Pukalani and Lower Pā‘ia Parks. Restrooms at Kalama Park, Pukalani Park and Lower Pāʻia Park will open starting Wednesday, April 8, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and will be cleaned four times per day. Maui Now.

Kauai

Parks and Rec hearing closed to the public. The Department of Parks and Recreation is proposing new rules for use of county sports fields/stadium facilities and playgrounds, and there’s a public hearing about those rules today. Garden Island.

8 active COVID-19 cases on Kaua‘i. Kaua‘i announced its 18th confirmed case of COVID-19, with eight currently active cases on the island. All but one of these cases are travel related. Garden Island.

Lanai

Lanai is the only one of the main islands with no COVID-19 cases yet. To help keep it that way, residents are not letting their guard down. KITV4.