Kaua‘i COVID-19 Death Toll Rises to 8

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the life of yet another Kaua‘i resident bringing the death toll up to eight as of Wednesday, Sept. 1.

The fatality was a man in his 70s who was hospitalized.

“We extend our sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of this individual,” said Mayor Derek SK Kawakami. “Now is the time to come together and shift our behavior to prevent more pain in our community.”

As the Labor Day weekend approaches, health officials remind residents to avoid large indoor gatherings and to wear a mask if spending time outside the household.

“Vaccines protect us from severe illness and death. And wearing masks and keeping our distance protect us from spreading disease,” said Dr. Janet Berreman, Kaua‘i District Health Officer. “Mahalo for doing your part to keep Kaua‘i safe and healthy.”

On Wednesday, Sept. 1, the county reported 29 new cases, three visitors and 26 residents, and seven of which were children.

Four of the cases are related to travel – three mainland and one interisland. The remaining 25 new cases are considered community-acquired. Eighteen of the community-acquired infections are close contacts of previously announced cases or are tied to one of our active clusters. The remaining seven community-acquired cases have no known source of infection.

The Department of Health reported 39 new cases today. The active number of cases now exceeds 300.