Maui News

As of noon on Monday, May 11, 2020, there are 634 cases of COVID-19 identified in Hawaiʻi with two new cases in the state on the island of Oʻahu. The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health reports that there were 561 individuals released from isolation; and 81 cases (13%) that have required hospitalization. A total of 574 patients (91%) were residents Maui County’s count remains unchanged from yesterday. Of the 117 cases in Maui County, at least 91 have been released from isolation, and 22 have required hospitalization.

“I want people to understand–really, we want them to open up.  We believe it’s time–especially in the area of retail; however, be safe.  We cannot risk another outbreak.  That’s my biggest concern. If we don’t do it right, we could go back to where we were,” said Mayor Victorino.

The senators are calling for $2 billion in additional funding to the Rural Health Care Program, the only federal program that supports broadband deployment at urban and rural health care provider locations.

Until recently, DOH staff accomplished this element of contact tracing and contact monitoring largely through multiple phone calls daily to those at risk for infection. However, state officials report that a new, secure portal recently implemented by the DOH is improving the efficiency of data collection by allowing individuals being monitored to input and upload their health status information on their own.

Maui Obituary Notices: Week of May 10. May they Rest In Peace. Brought to you in part by Ballard Family Mortuaries.

“Our bill will make sure that Hawai‘i families who are struggling to get by during this crisis can still make their rent and keep the lights on,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. “We have to do everything we can to keep families in their homes.”

Lawmakers say the primary goal for the Legislature during this time is to revise the state budget bill “to avoid any draconian budget cuts to wages or services,” and to “plug a $1 billion hole in the budget” caused by the coronavirus pandemic.  

On Saturday, May 9, a total of 857 people arrived in Hawaiʻi including 255 visitors and 334 residents, according to new information compiled by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority. While passenger counts continue to rise, there were no trans-Pacific flights to Maui on Saturday.  The island continues to see an average of 3 to 4 domestic flights from the mainland per week as a result of reduced flight schedules. 

To date, 561 people have recovered including 91 in Maui County. Maui County’s count remains unchanged from yesterday. Of the 117 cases in Maui County, at least 91 have been released from isolation, and 22 have required hospitalization. As of today, there were more than 37,785 individuals tested by clinical and state laboratories.  Of that number, 37,153 were returned negative. In Maui County, a total of 6,781 tests were returned negative to date.  There were 36 tests returned on Maui since yesterday.

In this Special Mother’s Day Edition of Talking Story we chat with two women, one who gave birth and one who is expecting during the pandemic. We discuss pregnancy, fears, anticipation, and giving birth at a hospital that had Maui’s largest cluster of Covid-19. An illuminating perspective of what it is like to be pregnant during such an uncertain time in our history. Talking Story is a collection of interviews where people share their experiences as it relates to the current state of the world.

While patrolling the long-closed Sacred Falls state park, DOCARE Officer Fagota Tataipu Jr. recalled the Mother’s Day tragedy more than 20 years ago.

“In times of crisis and with so much uncertainty, it is truly a measure of a person that places others’ needs before self,” said 2019-20 RAM President Mike Trotto. “Our members demonstrate this commitment to the community each and every day by their unselfish acts of kindness and dedication to the people in need here in Maui.”

The project extends from Milepost 21 of Kula Highway to the junction of Piʻilani Highway and Kanaio Road.

Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) introduced in the US House of Representatives his bipartisan Coral Reef Conservation Reauthorization Act on Friday to continue, update and improve our national commitment to save our endangered coral reefs as first set forth in a measure enacted twenty years ago.

The rule amendment becomes effective on May 15, 2020 and was established to prevent the introduction of new strains of a fungus and other pests and diseases that threaten ʻōhiʻa trees, native forests and watersheds, and also horticultural and agricultural industries.

As of noon on Saturday, May 9, 2020, there are 631 cases of COVID-19 identified in Hawaiʻi with three new cases in the state, according to the state Department of Health.  To date, 551 people have recovered including 88 in Maui County. The state Department of Health notes that the cases that have died and one case that has left the jurisdiction have been removed from these counts. Maui County’s count is up by one from yesterday. Of the 117 cases in Maui County, at least 88 have been released from isolation, and 22 have required hospitalization.

Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced Friday that farmers and distributors in Hawaiʻi will receive $5.2 million in federal funding from the US Department of Agriculture to provide food to families in need.

Road closures slated for May 9 to May 15. 

Droplets, The Bikini Market and Paper Garden are set to re-open on Monday, May 11.

The Hawai‘i State Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 discussed CARES Act aid, the likely extension of the 14-day travel quarantine, and increased costs associated with airport operations amid the ongoing pandemic.