Close Contacts Connected to Household Cluster Tested for COVID-19

Investigations are ongoing into a household cluster that identified eight active COVID-19 cases last week, bringing Kaua‘i County’s total number of cases to 29.

During Monday’s press conference, Kaua‘i District Health Officer Janet Berreman announced that specimens were collected from all identified close contacts with the household cluster, and samples were sent over to O‘ahu for testing. Officials expect to have results from those tests on Tuesday.

Individuals identified as close contacts are in quarantine and the individuals diagnosed with the virus are in isolation.

“If you’ve been identified as a close contact, the Department of Health will call you and offer you a test,” Berreman explained. 

Casual contacts, Berreman added, is not considered an exposure that requires action. Casual contacts include passing someone on the street, being at the same park or being in the same store.

“The return of COVID-19 to the island was expected, but it is concerning and it reinforces our need to be extremely careful in our day-to-day interactions to contain the spread,” said Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami.

Watch the county’s full daily briefing in the video above.