Rural Hāna and Lāna‘i Communities Report One Case Each of a Student with COVID-19

By Wendy Osher

The rural communities of Hāna and Lānaʻi in Maui County have reported one case each of COVID-19, both in students.

Maui Now has learned that the Hāna case involves a lower division student at Hāna High and Elementary School.

A Department of Education spokesperson tells Maui Now that the school administration as made aware of the positive COVID-19 case on Wednesday, and confirms that the student was last on campus for a limited amount of time on Monday, Jan. 11.

“Broad notification was sent out yesterday to staff and families,” said Nanea Kalani, Communications Director for the DOE. “The school is taking the necessary precautions, including notifying potential close contacts, closing impacted areas for seven days and sanitizing, and coordinating next steps with the Department’s COVID-19 Core Response Team.”

The state Department of Health was notified and is working closely with the school to respond to the case. Kalani said, “The DOH has also reassured the school that the proper steps were taken to mitigate further impact to students and staff.”

As for the Lānaʻi case, the student was last at the Lānaʻi High and Elementary School campus on Thursday, Jan. 7.

A letter to parents, dated Tuesday, Jan. 12, urges anyone exhibiting symptoms to call before coming to campus to assess the situation. Close contacts were being notified and the school was closing impacted areas for seven days and conducting sanitization.