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This wide-ranging legislation will inject $2 trillion into boosting funding to our medical system, providing economic support to workers, small businesses, and state and local governments that are bearing the brunt of the necessary but difficult measures being put in place to combat the coronavirus.

The percentage drop of arriving passengers is down 87 percent from the same period last year (4,131 arriving passengers as of 3-24-20 compared to 32,330 on the same day in 2019).

He said the $2 trillion legislative package will help with jobs and families.  “The Senate bill as you know includes $350 billion in job retention loans for small businesses, with loan forgiveness available for businesses that continue paying their workers,” said President Trump. 

As of noon on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, the state total count of positive coronavirus cases was 95, including 4 new cases on Oʻahu; and one new case each on Maui and Kauaʻi.  Maui’s island count is now 13.  

The list of hotels around Maui and across the state are rolling out plans to address the reduced visitor load and mass cancellations as mandatory quarantines for arriving travelers, and newly implemented stay-at-home orders go into effect.  The newly announced temporary suspension of operations are a result of actions being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 and avoid overburdening limited medical resources. 

Grand Wailea is preparing care packages for employees and the community, including Feed My Sheep and the Maui Food Bank, using the hotel’s perishable food stock. The hotel’s current inventory of toilet paper is being shared with team members.

“After a long and careful review of various options, it’s with a heavy heart that we have made the decision to close temporarily and help keep our tight-knit community safe,” said Marni Aina, resident manager at Travaasa Hāna. “We feel it is our responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and hope that the uncertainty passes soon so we may be able to welcome guests back to our beloved Hāna town.”

In an afternoon press conference, Mayor Victorino provided specifics on what’s open and closed, announced a county call center (available M-F, 7:45 to 4:30 p.m. at 270-7855), and discussed the possibility of designating a portion of a hotel property where returning residents could carry out their 14-day quarantine.

CANCELED: Hawaii Tsunami Watch CANCELED After 7+ Kuril Islands Earthquake

The state Department of Health is currently reevaluating its first reported COVID-19 death in the state after encountering what they called “procedural issues.”

The DOE plans to begin distributing packets for students with no computer access starting next week, in a staggered approach, with drop of for some rural areas planned.  This will not be a generic distribution system, but will be done by individual schools who will oversee and monitor their group of students.

There are now 90 total positive cases of COVID-19 in Hawaiʻi.  This includes 12 new cases on Oʻahu, bringing that island total to 64; and one new case each on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, bringing their island totals to 12 and 5 respectively. The new cases include 10 Hawaiʻi residents, 3 US non-Hawaiʻi residents, and one pending case, which officials have yet to classify into existing categories. Although earlier figures released by the Department indicated a decrease in cases on the neighbor islands from previous day counts, the discrepancy appeared to have been from an attempt to provide greater clarity in terms place of residency with non residents moved to a different category.  

An employee with Maui Health is among those confirmed as COVID-19 positive, according to information confirmed this morning. “Per CDC infection control protocol, we can acknowledge we have an employee confirmed by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health as having COVID-19,” Maui Health said in a statement this morning.

“Our public school system will not close.  We continue our efforts as a statewide team, maximizing our telework approach or providing individualized small group support,” said Dr. Kishimoto.

Hawaiʻi Sea Spirits llc, makers of OCEAN Organic Vodka, is devoting some of its production to make hand sanitizer to help combat the spread of coronavirus. The effort is made possible in partnership with other local companies including: Maui Babe, Mokulele Airlines, the Maui Food Bank, and Ali‘i Kula Lavender.

About 75 people were tested Monday for COVID-19 on the first day of testing at the drive-through site at the War Memorial Gym parking lot on Maui, according to the Maui District Health Office.

Governor David Ige this afternoon issued a statewide Stay At Home Order that will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday morning, March 25, and remain in effect until April 30th. 

With many travelers opting to leave before a mandatory quarantine takes effect on Thursday, and stay-at-home order take effect on Wednesday, the overflow of returned rental vehicles is starting to pile up around Kahului Airport.  The actions are taken as state and county officials attempt to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent an overburdened medical system.  

New positive results were received today for 16 individuals–including 12 more cases on O‘ahu bringing that island total to 53, two more cases on Maui brining the Valley Isle total to 11, and two more Hawai‘i Island cases for a total of 5 on the Big Island.

Police say those arrested allegedly took “substantial steps” to meet up with those “minors” for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual acts with them.  However, instead of minors, these offenders were actually met and arrested by law enforcement officers, police said.