LIHUE, Hawaii (KHON2) — The Kauai District Health Office reported the first on-island coronavirus-related death on Monday, Nov. 23.
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Officials say the fatality was an elderly male who had no history of travel.
“It is heartbreaking to report this news especially as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches this week,” said Mayor Derek Kawakami. “As a community, we share in this painful loss together and we extend our sincere prayers, love and aloha to the family and loved ones of this individual.”
This latest death occurred during a period of significant rise in case levels on the island, most of which are related to travel. However, a small number of the new cases were not directly travel-associated. Kauai Health officials say this means there is community transmission for the first time since July.
The District Health Office also reported four positive cases of COVID-19 on Nov. 23, bringing the total number of active cases on the island to 23.
Kauai’s cumulative case count as of Nov. 20 is 117. Of those, 103 are confirmed, one is probable and 13 are confirmed positive tests performed out-of-state or off-island.
For more information about COVID-19 in Kauai County, click here.
