Hawai‘i Reports Its Second COVID-19-Related Death

Your daily update of everything you need to know related to COVID-19 on April 2.

April 2, 2020

Katrina Valcourt,

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF city and county of honolulu

Another COVID-19-related death brings Hawai‘i’s total to two. As of noon on Thursday, 27 new cases have been reported, including 24 on O‘ahu, one on Maui and two pending, bringing the statewide total to 285. Seventy-two people have recovered.

Two more drive-thru testing sites will open this weekend. Premier Medical Group Hawai‘i will offer tests from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 4, at Waipi‘o Peninsula Soccer Complex and 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday, April 5, at Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park. Only those who have fever, cough, shortness of breath or other respiratory symptoms will be tested.

Honolulu’s mayor encourages everyone to wear masks. Mayor Kirk Caldwell says that though the general public should not be purchasing N-95 or surgical masks, everyone should cover their nose and mouth when leaving home—even for jogging or shopping, since up to 20% of people who have the virus are asymptomatic but could still spread it, Dr. Darragh O’Carroll told reporters. O’Carroll emphasized that fabric masks should be washed daily with soap and hot water and either dried with heat in a dryer or by hanging in the sun, since UV rays help with sterilization. Go to bit.ly/hn-kinizamora for a tutorial on how to make your own.

UH decides to move to credit/no credit. President David Lassner sent a message to students, faculty and staff today announcing a plan is in the works to add a credit/no credit option for the spring semester. He says there will be an official announcement by the middle of next week at the latest.

Public school graduation and test requirements changing. The state Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the state Department of Education’s request for changing graduation requirements for the class of 2020. The board also approved the department’s waiver request to cancel standardized assessments for this school year, including the Smarter Balanced Assessments and the Hawai‘i State Assessments. The full plan will be released early next week after final review by superintendent Christina Kishimoto.

Kauaʻi, Maui and Oʻahu mayors ask the president to ban nonessential travel to Hawaiʻi. The White House will not consider it unless the request comes from Gov. David Ige. Ige says he hasn’t seen the letter yet, but “We continue to study the unintended consequences of halting all nonessential domestic travel to Hawai‘i.” There were 120 visitors among the 664 arrivals in the Islands yesterday.

To report a nonessential business that is not following shutdown orders, call (808) 768-CITY or email covidresponse@honolulu.gov.

Auto sales move online. Effective Friday, April 3, at 4:30 p.m., all vehicle sales and leasing will be limited to online for essential workers. This is a change from the mayor’s March 22 order banning all auto sales, to accommodate people whose leases are expiring or whose vehicles are too damaged to use. Test driving will not be allowed.

More federal dollars coming. Hawai‘i will receive more than $107 million in Federal Transit Administration grants to assist the City and County of Honolulu, Maui County and the Hawaii Department of Transportation with maintaining bus service.

The mayor’s annual Memorial Day service will be canceled this year.