Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) President and CEO John De Fries, who was also at the briefing, added, “The people in the hospitality industry are excited that the state has progressed to this point. We want to get back to work not just because everyone needs a paycheck but also because we get great satisfaction from welcoming people to the islands. We also know how important we are to the state. The dollars each visitor brings in ultimately translates into the education of our youngsters, care for the elderly, police, firemen, parks and much more. We need to get back to work, so that Hawai‘i keeps working for all of us.” De Fries also addressed issues of safety among hospitality employees, saying, “The concerns of the workers informed every key decision made and will continue to be heard. Their health and safety are a priority.”  

Governor Signs 14^th Emergency Proclamation    

The details of the pre-travel testing program are outlined in the 14^th emergency proclamation which the governor signed today. It allows the mandatory 14-day quarantine to continue, with the exception of the pre-travel test option. It also extends the prohibition on evictions for non-payment of rent until Nov. 30, 2020 and extends the expiration dates of expired/expiring State IDs and driver licenses until Nov. 30, 2020.  

https://governor.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2010095-ATG_Fourteenth-Proclamation-for-COVID-19-distribution-signed.pdf 

Testing and Contact Tracing Capacity Update  

At the briefing, Gov. Ige also announced that the state has arranged nearly 200 contact tracers to aid DOH in tracing any travel-related infections. He also said the state used $30 million in CARES Act funds to purchase tests and testing machines. Gov. Ige said, “This means we will have hundreds of thousands of additional tests we can use to manage the virus in our community as we resume economic activity and school re-openings.” 

Lieutenant Governor’s Office: 

Lt. Governor Green Highlights Need for Pre-Travel Testing Program 

During the news briefing, Lt. Governor Josh Green also reiterated the need for the safe travels program, saying, “COVID-19 can be scary and we take this virus very seriously. While we’ve learned to manage the spread, our people have suffered. It is time people have some hope for their economic future - which is closely tied to their health, too.” Lt. Gov Green said since the start of the pandemic, over 11,000 people in the State couldn’t pay their rent, 40,000 are on Med-QUEST, and 150,000 people have lost their jobs. The pre-travel testing program is expected to help put money back into Hawai‘i’s economy.  

Strategic Surveillance Testing 

To supplement the pre-travel testing program, the State is also implementing a strategic surveillance testing program, which would test up to 10-percent of all travelers, randomly and voluntarily. The tests would be done four days post-arrival to Hawai‘i and would be at the State’s expense. The program would be a 60-day pilot, conducted on all islands, beginning Oct. 19, 2020. Lt. Governor Green said, “This method comes at the recommendation of Dr. Anthony Fauci, as it’s meant to add an additional layer of safety to the pre-travel testing program. The goal is to address the value of pre-testing and the risk of travel into Hawai‘i.” 

Department of Health: 

Four COVID-19 Deaths Reported 

Four (4) COVID-19 deaths were reported today by DOH. Three (3) were from Honolulu. One involved a male between 60 to 69 years old, one male over the age of 80, and a female between 70 to 79 years old. The fourth death was on Maui and involved a female between 50 to 59 years old. She passed away in August, but it’s now being reported as a COVID-19 death as a result of updated information. All four had underlying conditions and were hospitalized at the time of their death. 

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, Oct. 13, 2020        

Hospitalization count as of 10/12/20 at 5:01 pm: 13-Hawai‘i, 1-Maui, 93-O‘ahu, 2-Kaua‘i 

++As a result of updated information, one case from O‘ahu was removed from the counts. 

7-Day Averages   

*Metrics reflect information updated as of noon the previous day. Case counts are calculated based on date of report. Percent positivity is calculated based on date of lab result.   

Hawaiicovid19.com 

Department of Public Safety: 

Statewide Broad-Based Testing Continues for Jails, Prison Facilities 

PSD’s Health Care Division is working with DOH, the Hawai‘i National Guard, and community partners to conduct mass testing for COVID-19 at all correctional facilities statewide. The Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center has begun testing inmates this week. Halawa Correctional Facility, Waiawa Correctional Facility, and the Women’s Community Correctional Center have concluded their broad-based testing of staff and inmates. There were no inmates with confirmed active COVID-19 test results at those facilities.  

DOH testing of O‘ahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) inmates is ongoing. Two (2) new test results were received today and both were negative. There are no inmates hospitalized. Over 95-percent of the OCCC inmates who had positive COVID cases have recovered. The total number of PSD staff who have recovered and returned to work is at 100, or just over 83-percent. Information on PSD’s planning and response to COVID-19 can be found at:  

http://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/.   

Informational Briefing Held to Discuss Availability, Distribution of PPE  

A second informational briefing was held today to discuss the availability and distribution of PPE and sanitation supplies throughout the state. The Legislature recently appropriated $100 million in CARES Act funds for the purchase and distribution of PPE. In the briefing today, HI-EMA said it anticipates shipping more supplies in late October to early November and plans to exhaust inventory by December. The final month of distribution is expected to be March 2021. The briefing, which was run by Rep. John Mizuno and Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, is part of a new series offered online to keep the public up to date on COVID-19 related issues. The weekly briefings are expected to continue through the end of the year. To livestream it: 

https://www.facebook.com/hawaiihouseofreps/  

Helpful Resources  

COVID-19 Tables, Charts, and Visualizations 

https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii  

Safe Travels Information (Frequently Asked Questions) 

https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/#travel-FAQs

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/covid-19-updates/trans-pacific-passenger-arrivals/ 

To report violators: (808) 244-6400 or mpdquarantine@mpd.net   

Hawai‘i County

City & County of Honolulu