Big Island Coronavirus Updates

Starting Monday, the DLIR is asking the community to file weekly UI certifications on specific days of the week, which are determined based on the claimant’s last name. 

Antibody testing will be offered only to those previously identified as having had the coronavirus, or those with high-risk exposures, including healthcare workers, first responders and family members or those with close contact to known positives.

The program is set up to help rural families in South Kona overcome transportation challenges associated with the department’s current pick-up sites for grab-and-go meals.

Users must keep a six-foot or greater social distance from each other and facility employees. If a six-foot social distance cannot be maintained, all users must wear a cloth face covering.

Environmental stressors and very high ocean temperatures impacted West Hawaiʻi in 2015 and again at the end of 2019, causing catastrophic bleaching and mortality for more than 90% of the Kahaluʻu Bay population. 

Legislators will tackle a projected $1 billion budgetary shortfall, travel quarantine implementation and the state’s contact tracing system in a mini-session this month.

A total of 565 patients have been released from isolation and are considered recovered, meaning there were 47 active cases statewide as of Thursday at noon.

Lieutenant Governor Josh Green said the state will need more contact-tracers to have an adequate tracing program, one of the metrics necessary for a full reopening of the state’s economy. Hawai‘i will use federal funding to do this.

Hawai‘i County is set to receive $1.54 million in a federal Community Development Block Grant to support local nonprofits in their efforts to provide relief to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation is coordinating the reopening of stations for Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspections (PMVI or Safety Checks) starting Friday, May 15.

Hawai‘i County is moving forward with plans to reopen additional businesses and parks as COVID-19 case numbers continue to dwindle.

https://www.facebook.com/BigIslandNow/videos/236804434440425/?__xts__[0]=68.ARD4F5xy0KX7O4HsJeXhumWg4TB-WFibyMC8d3YL-SnLI62GDjNpD3MOeGB3-QKWV7AfQFikjA5tDnC0-oQwD8VCjyBz8Z_j6gQWMfIelPFke10ztGBeIDYjYiCkSlFDh6aq3oXgW2HC07yAWh4oeoKmer-yrhIlJ_zk5tQGwtN_2IGQKBXnwpwo9AzNM0h2mXt4TOXzKxn8E_2boSnv1de1f9QLhR5G3gfpx9_P1ohCXPvGD3xGFbRVH3UMCzE_omVofAYtdMOKqtCrONObY2ENhOTNfPKnSQqBCTr1jweYfPPKKh5_WR-iGZkTwu0bXQTY19qa3hF-49jWXR5r1lzMvNv309kQhV4&__tn__=-R Jack Dugan, the Chief Operating Officer of Pacific Media Group and director of MauiNow.com interviews the Chief Executive Officer and president of Hawaiian Airlines, Peter Ingram. Ingram saw signs of decline in demand in early March – mainly from their Asian routes – as the coronavirus was spreading across the continent from China. “I don’t think we really anticipated […]

The state’s only new case was reported on O‘ahu.

Motorists should be aware of the potential for traffic congestion near the food distribution sites before and during the drop-off events.

Hawai‘i Department of Health officials reported four new cases of coronavirus Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to 625. 

Despite residents’ new freedoms, social gatherings in public are still disallowed statewide. People are not allowed to congregate on beaches or while partaking in newly reopened commerce activities outside of residential family units. 

The program will be offered through West Hawai‘i Mediation Center and Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center, with the goal of providing timely conflict prevention and resolution services to commercial and residential landlords and tenants. The service is free.

Tina Yamaki, President of Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi, said her members are working on finalizing guidelines for retail operations this week.

University of Hawai‘i students will attend classes on campus this fall, or at least that’s the plan.

A total of 548 people have been released from isolation and are considered recovered.