16 New Cases on Kaua‘i, all Residents

The Hawai‘i State Department of Health, Kaua‘i District Health Office reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, Dec. 18.

Today’s cases are all residents – five are children and 11 are adults. Five of the cases are related to travel – four mainland and one interisland, the office said in a news release. The remaining 11 cases are considered community-acquired. Four of the community-acquired infections are close contacts of a previously announced case or are tied to an active cluster. The remaining seven cases have no known source of infection, including two whom investigators have been unable to reach after repeated attempts or who have refused to provide information.

Today’s cases bring the number of active cases to 88, with five hospitalized, and 3,408 cumulative cases. Kaua‘i’s cumulative case count includes 3,344 confirmed locally, eight probable, and 56 positive cases diagnosed elsewhere, as they received their pre-travel test results after arriving on island.

DOH contact tracing and more info:

Daily case counts remain elevated. The Department of Health case investigators and contact tracers call all new cases, generally within a day or two of a positive test. If you test positive, there is no need to wait to hear from the Department of Health before taking action: isolate yourself at home, and let those you’ve been in contact with know that they’ve been exposed. Your close contacts should quarantine and plan to be tested. Your prompt action makes a difference.

If you have symptoms or are feeling sick, you should isolate yourself immediately, stay away from household members, and not go out – including to work or school – unless you are seeking testing or getting health care. Those who have been vaccinated should still be tested if they believe they may have been exposed or if they feel sick.

Most reported cases are in residents who were infected in the community. Everyone, vaccinated or not, must follow Hawai‘i’s indoor mask requirements and gathering size limits. In addition, if you plan to travel, please be vaccinated before you go, and get tested three to five days after you return to Kaua‘i. If you plan a trip, please be vaccinated before you go. And whether or not you are vaccinated, follow Hawai‘i’s prudent rules and wear a mask in crowded indoor settings.

Vaccine info:

Vaccination remains the most important action each of us can take to slow and prevent the spread of disease in our community. Vaccinations are available to anyone 5 years of age or older and are free, safe, and effective.

Many vaccination sites accept walk-ins. Residents aged 18 and older are eligible for any vaccine available at pharmacy, hospital, and clinic locations. The Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use in those 5 years of age and older, and is currently available at Wilcox Medical Center, Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital (KVMH), and Kaiser Permanente Līhu‘e Clinic.

The vaccine van can be requested to your business, event, or home by filling out the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CBQCWY7 or calling the Kaua‘i District Health Office at 241-3495.

The pop-up clinic and hospital van are open to everyone 12 and older. For details on the vaccination sites, visit www.kauai.gov/vaccine.

Testing info:

If you traveled off-island, get tested three to five days after you return home.

The Kaua‘i War Memorial Conventional Hall testing center has resumed normal operations and free testing is available weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. If there is a wait, you will receive a ticket with a time to return for your test. Arrive anytime the clinic is open to receive a timed ticket; no need to arrive early.

Additionally, a free mobile testing van is normally available for walk-ins from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center on Wednesdays, Kīlauea Neighborhood Center on Thursdays, Kalāheo Neighborhood Center on Fridays, Hanalei Neighborhood Center on Saturdays, and the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapa‘a on Sundays.

Testing performed at the Convention Hall and through the mobile testing van is rapid PCR. Same-day results are sent via email.

Free drive-thru testing is also available daily at Līhu‘e Pharmacy Group, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments are now required. For an appointment, register online at PreventCOVIDHI.com or call 808-635-4968.

Testing is also available through your primary care physician, a hospital, or an urgent care clinic. Please contact those providers directly for more information. For more details, visit https://www.kauai.gov/covidtest.

For more information on the county’s COVID-19 response, visit www.kauai.gov/COVID-19.