The Hawai‘i National Guard Activates as the State Confirms Third Death and 34 New Cases, Including 1 on Moloka‘i

Your daily update of everything you need to know related to COVID-19 on April 3, 2020.

April 3, 2020

Stacey Makiya,

There are 34 new cases of COVID-19 statewide including 31 on O‘ahu, two on Hawai‘i, one on Kaua‘i, nine on Maui and the first positive case on Moloka‘i. (The numbers don’t add up because nine previous cases that were under investigation have been assigned to the proper county.) A third death, an elderly man who traveled to Washington State, was confirmed by the Department of Health.

Hotel for Heroes. The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau, and the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association announced a new initiative that offers first responders (health care workers, police, EMS and firefighters) complimentary hotel stays to rest after their shifts and practice social distancing from their loved ones. Thirty-three hotels are confirmed to participate starting Monday, April 6.

Gov. David Ige activates 250 Hawai‘i National Guard members to work with Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency and other state agencies to assist with airport screenings, warehouse receiving and distribution of personal protective equipment, and communicating accurate COVID-19 information to the public.

Ige asks for help with prison overcrowding. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons, Ige has sent an official request to President Donald Trump asking that state inmates be transported to less crowded federal facilities. Mayor Kirk Caldwell is working with HPD on how to manage and house infected detainees. As of now, the plan is to keep detainees in the same facility that they’re booked and retrofit individual cellblocks to accommodate those who may be infected.

Due to popular demand, the Farm-to-Car program extends its services to the end of April. Participants will also be happy to hear that beginning April 11, Saturday pickups will be added to the schedule from 9 a.m. to noon at the Blaisdell Center Galleria.

Citations issued. Due to nonessential gatherings that are still occurring at some beach parks, 3,127 warnings and 281 citations have been issued. HPD is restricting street and shoulder parking all day in Lanikai starting April 6 through April 30.