HAWAI‘I COVID-19 JOINT INFORMATION CENTER DAILY NEWS DIGEST Dec. 9, 2020
Posted on Dec 9, 2020 in COVID-19, COVID-19 News Releases, Latest Department News, NewsroomGovernor’s Office:
Furloughs for State Employees Start January 1, 2021
In an e-mail to state employees, followed by an afternoon news conference, Gov. David Ige announced two-day-a-month furlough starting January 1 of next year, to balance the state budget. The state is projecting a $1.4 billion budget shortfall in the general fund for each of the next four years.
“If the furlough is effective for one year, the state will save about $300 million. This is the last major element of the balanced budget that I am required to submit to the state Legislature every December,” said Gov. Ige. “The pandemic has had harsh economic impacts on our country, and as a result, every state is having to make difficult choices. Hawai‘i is among the hardest hit states in terms of job loss and lower economic activity, because of the state’s reliance on tourism.”
Over the past eight months, the state has been closely assessing COVID-19’s impact on the economy, addressing the loss of tax dollars and the need to budget for new emergency initiatives.
“We explored all other options for balancing the budget and have tried to avoid furloughs. I know how hard state employees have been working during this difficult period and I realize how much distress this will cause our employees and their families. However, the harsher alternative to furloughs is layoffs, which have already complicated the lives of thousands of fellow citizens who work in the private sector,” Ige said.
About 10,160 executive-branch employees will be subject to the furlough, in addition to employees of the Dept. of Education and the University of Hawai‘i system. Details on how the furloughs will be implemented for all affected employees will be announced soon.
Learn more about other cost-saving steps that have already been taken in the full news release:
Department of Health:
https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/
Four Additional Deaths on O‘ahu and 80 New COVID-19 Cases Reported Statewide
DOH reports four (4) deaths on O‘ahu, raising the Hawai‘i COVID-19 death toll to 266 since the beginning of the pandemic. All of the deaths were men from 40-79-years old. All had underlying health conditions and all but one passed away while in a hospital.
DOH is also reporting 80 additional coronavirus cases today.This report includes cases up until Monday at 11:59 p.m. Full data is posted on the State COVID-19 dashboard and on the DOH Disease Outbreak & Control website at noon each day. hawaiicovid19.com/dashboard
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 11:59 p.m. Dec. 7, 2020
| Island of Diagnosis | New Cases | Reported since
2/28/2020 (including new cases) |
| O‘ahu | 45 | 15,924 |
| Hawai‘i | 12 | 1,664 |
| Maui | 15 | 633 |
| Kaua‘i | 1 | 121 |
| Moloka‘i | 0 | 22 |
| Lānaʻi | 0 | 106 |
| HI residents diagnosed outside of HI | 7 | 271 |
| Total Cases | 80 | 18,741 |
| Deaths | 4 | 266 |
Hospitalizations as of 12:00 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2020 – Hawai‘i-1, Maui-2, O‘ahu-44, Kauai-0
Hawaiicovid19.com
Hawaiʻi State Judiciary:
Hoapili Hale Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19
An employee at Hoapili Hale, the Wailuku courthouse, has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee last worked on Dec. 1, 2020 and received a confirmed positive test result on Dec. 7, 2020. DOH has advised those with prolonged or frequent contact with the affected individual to self-quarantine and seek guidance from their medical providers. They’ll return to work when they’re medically cleared. The areas where the person worked are cleaned regularly, but out of an abundance of caution, the areas received additional disinfecting. To view more:
Department of Public Safety:
PSD Director, Deputy Directors Working Remotely, Mass Inmate Testing Continues
An employee assigned to the Sheriff Division Administrative Staff reported a positive COVID-19 test result to PSD yesterday evening. Employees who were identified as possibly having had direct contact with the individual were told to work from home while they await test results. Top administrative officials who will be working remotely, include the PSD Director and Deputy Directors for Law Enforcement, Corrections and Administration. COVID-19 Testing was offered by PSD for those staff who were identified and told to stay home. PSD offices where this individual either worked or visited were sanitized or sanitization efforts are underway. DOH was notified and has already begun contact tracing.
The Halawa Correctional Facility (HCF) reports two (2) staff have confirmed positive tests. The employees last worked on Dec. 5 and 6. Of the 75 HCF inmates tested, two (2) were positive and 73 were negative. PSD is working with the DOH on contact tracing. Additionally, surge testing of O‘ahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) inmates and staff is ongoing. All 125 OCCC inmate test results received were negative. There are no OCCC inmates in the hospital. Of the seven (7) OCCC staff result received, one (1) was positive and six (6) were negative. For more information on PSD’s planning and response efforts to COVID-19:
https://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority:
5,538 Passengers Arrive on Tuesday
Yesterday, a total of 5,538 people arrived in Hawai‘i from out of state. A total of 2,216 people indicated they came to Hawai‘i for vacation. There were also 1,156 returning residents. The trans-pacific passenger arrival data is derived from data provided by the Safe Travels digital system.
To view more: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/covid-19-updates/trans-pacific-passenger-arrivals
Helpful Resources
Trusted Testing and Travel Partners:
The state of Hawai‘i only accepts Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) from a certified Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) lab test results from Trusted Testing and Travel Partners. For the full list of domestic trans-Pacific, inter-county, international and airline partners or information on how to become a Trusted Testing Partner, go to:
https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel-partners/
Safe Travels Hawai‘i Program:
Program overview: https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/
FAQs: https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/faqs/
Email: [email protected]
Call Center Number: 1-800-GO-HAWAII
COVID-19 Expanded Dashboard (Tables, Charts, and Visualizations):
Hawaiicovid19.com/dashboard
Safe Travels Digital Platform:
https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/data/
Trans-Pacific Passenger Arrivals Statistics:
https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/covid-19-updates/trans-pacific-passenger-arrivals/
Kaua‘i County:
Kaua‘i COVID-19 webpage: https://www.kauai.gov/COVID-19
To report violators: https://www.kauai.gov/KPD-Online-Reporting
Rest, Test, Enjoy! Voluntary visitor post-travel test: https://www.kauai.gov/visitorposttest
Resident post-travel test: https://www.kauai.gov/residentposttest
Maui County:
Maui County travel and COVID-19 information:
https://www.mauicounty.gov
To report violators: (808) 244-6400 or [email protected]
Hawai‘i County:
Hawai‘i County COVID-19 webpage:
https://coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/travel
Critical infrastructure and medical travel request: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c
To report violators: 808-935-3311
City & County of Honolulu:
Honolulu COVID-19 webpage: oneoahu.org
Interisland passengers arriving on O‘ahu are not subject to the mandatory quarantine.
To report violators: 808-723-3900 or [email protected]
Media Contact:
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Joint Information Center
(808) 636-8194