Hawaii won't cooperate with states prosecuting for abortions
Hawaii Gov. David Ige signed an executive order Tuesday that aims to prevent other states from punishing their residents who get an abortion in the islands and stop other states from sanctioning local doctors and nurses who provide such care. Ige is the latest Democratic governor to take such a step in response to conservative states that have adopted bans and tight restrictions on abortion.
news.yahoo.comHawaii to lift last US state mask mandate by March 26
The last statewide mask mandate in the U.S. will be lifted by March 26, Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced Tuesday. Hawaii is the last to drop the pandemic safety measure, with Washington state's mask mandate expiring at midnight Friday. Ige said one metric he used to determine that it's time for the mandate to end is that there were 48 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Tuesday.
news.yahoo.comRare wild British honey bee discovery creates quite a buzz
Bee conservationist Filipe Salbany has discovered thousands of rare wild honeybees, which may be the last descendants of Britain’s native honey bee population in ancient woodlands on Blenheim Estate in central south England. Salbany says it’s crucial that the population is studied to learn how to protect other bees and prevent cross breeding which can lead to decline in numbers.
news.yahoo.comHawaii holds on to virus restrictions even as cases plummet
Various state and county rules have changed often, leaving some businesses, travelers and residents confused and frustrated. Hawaii Gov. David Ige said earlier this year that all restrictions would end once 70% of the population was fully vaccinated. Now, case counts have dropped and about 83% of eligible Hawaii residents are fully vaccinated.
news.yahoo.comAnti-telescope protesters oppose US attorney pick for Hawaii
Some Native Hawaiians are objecting to President Joe Biden’s choice for U.S. attorney in the 50th state, saying Clare Connors treated dozens of elders like criminals when her office prosecuted them for blocking a road while protesting the construction of a telescope in Hawaii.
Hawaii's governor welcomes travelers as COVID counts drop
Hawaii's COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations have declined to the point where the islands are ready to welcome travelers once again, the governor said Tuesday. Gov. David Ige said vacationers and business travelers are welcome to return to the islands starting Nov. 1. The state didn't impose any new travel quarantine restrictions, and Ige's plea was a mere request.
news.yahoo.comCOVID-19 surge pummels Hawaii and its native population
Kuulei Perreira-Keawekane could barely breathe when she went to a Hawaii emergency room. Like many Native Hawaiians, she was not vaccinated against COVID-19. Perreira-Keawekane's situation highlights the COVID-19 crisis that is gripping Hawaii as hospitals are overflowing with a record number of patients, vaccinations are stagnating and Hawaiians are experiencing a disproportionate share of the suffering.
news.yahoo.comJill Biden calls on unvaccinated in Hawaii to get shots
First lady Jill Biden visited a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Waipahu, Hawaii, on Sunday to encourage unvaccinated Hawaiians to get their shots as the delta variant surges through much of the U_S_ Biden in remarks at the pop-clinic at Waipahu High School said the virus has become “more contagious than ever” and urged the unvaccinated to “help us move past this virus once and for all.”.
The Latest: WHO director calls for more vaccine donations
The head of the World Health Organization lamented the lack of COVID-19 vaccines being immediately donated by rich countries to the developing world, saying that the global community is failing and that the mistakes of the AIDS pandemic are being repeated.
The Latest: Pakistan opens jabs to all adults to boost rates
Pakistan is offering jabs to its entire adult population in hopes of boosting COVID-19 vaccination rates, with only 5% of the population inoculated so far. Pakistan has reported a steady decline in infections and fatalities from COVID-19 in recent days, but the vaccination response has been sluggish. The only shots given are three Chinese-made vaccines.
news.yahoo.comHawaii gets tourism surge as coronavirus rules loosen up
When quarantine rules were put in place early in the pandemic, arrivals plummeted and the state's tourism-dependent economy tanked. In October, state officials launched a pre-travel testing program that allowed visitors to sidestep quarantine rules. With a few exceptions, people in Hawaii are still required to wear masks while in public. “I think we’re all going to have to be prepared for a potential surge in tourism,” said Hawaii state Rep. Scott Saiki, a Democrat. “These banners provide a tool to help Honolulu Police officers do their jobs in gaining compliance with COVID-19 rules,” Sakahara said.
Deer native to India starve to death amid drought in Hawaii
This image provided by Honolulu Civil Beat shows a dead axis deer in a field on the island of Molokai in Hawaii on Jan. 15, 2021. Now, the proliferation of the non-native deer and drought on Molokai have brought the problem into focus. ... It’s had an impact on the wildlife.”AdIn India, axis deer are kept in check by tigers and leopards. ”Our agricultural sector has sustained substantial pasture and crop damage from axis deer in search of food,” he said. In addition to causing to environmental damage, the starving deer population has become a public nuisance.
The Latest: Sri Lankan officials say vaccinations advancing
FILE - In this Jan. 29, 2021, file photo, Sri Lankan nursing staff administer COVID-19 vaccines to front-line health workers in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Reynolds issued the earlier restrictions in November when hospitals were struggling to care for a surge of coronavirus patients. Officials say it could help up to four COVID-19 patients. ___LISBON, Portugal — Portugal has set a new daily record for COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care with 904 patients on Friday. AdThe Austrian government offered to take in five COVID-19 patients and five non-COVID patients to relieve Portuguese hospitals.
Mostly virus-free Kauai hit by pandemic after travel resumes
Early and aggressive local measures coupled with a strictly enforced statewide travel quarantine kept Kauai's 72,000 residents mostly healthy — the island had only 61 known coronavirus cases from March through September. Kauai officials have decided the cost of vacationing in paradise, for now, is too high. Kauai officials say the single-test scheme did not do enough to protect the people who live there. Visitor numbers have since increased with the testing program, but only to about a third of pre-pandemic levels. Travel “introduces a continuous stream of new infections,” said Dr. Janet Berreman, Kauai's officer for the state health department.
Budget toll from virus hits both Democratic, GOP-led states
But the pandemic-induced tax drop-off is hitting Democratic and Republican states alike. Yet it's not just Democratic states asking for help amid plunging tax revenue, rising joblessness and a stuttering economy. “There is no more room for partisan positioning and political gamesmanship.”Alaska, Florida and Texas are among other Republican-led states where tax revenue has taken a hit. That group includes Alaska, North Dakota and Wyoming, all led by Republican governors and legislatures. The state’s economy has been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has depressed demand for oil and led to a steep drop in tourism.
The Latest: Australia leader to go slow on Pfizer vaccine
If approved, shots could begin within days for health care workers and people in nursing homes. Shots would then begin for health care workers and nursing home residents. ___CANBERRA, Australia — Australian researchers say they have abandoned development of a potential coronavirus vaccine because it produced false positive results on HIV tests. A health ministry statement says the government will first vaccinate health care workers, particularly those who deal with COVID-19 cases. ___HONOLULU — Hawaii expects to receive 80,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine in December for health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.
Police: Couple flew to Hawaii despite positive virus tests
HONOLULU – A couple were arrested at a Hawaii airport after traveling from the U.S. mainland despite knowing they were infected with COVID-19, authorities said. The couple took a COVID-19 test in Seattle after returning from abroad, police said, then received their positive results while flying between Seattle and San Francisco. “Officials notified the couple of positive test results and directed them to isolate.”But the two, who had a layover in San Francisco, decided to continue on to Hawaii over the weekend. “They knowingly boarded a flight aware of their positive COVID-19 test results, placing the passengers of the flight in danger of death,” Kauai police said. Effective Wednesday, all travelers to Kauai must spend 14 days in quarantine regardless of whether they obtain a negative COVID-19 test.
The Latest: China starts mass testing 3 million in Tianjin
The economic package also includes $20 million in rental assistance and $15 million in utility payment assistance for those with low income. But he has not implemented a statewide mask mandate as coronavirus cases continue to surge across the state. ___PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon has reported a record number of coronavirus cases Friday, with hospitalizations at their highest since the pandemic began. The U.S. is now averaging more than 1,300 COVID-19 deaths per day — the highest since the calamitous spring in New York City. ___BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota has surpassed 70,000 confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.
US surgeon general to plead not guilty in Hawaii virus case
Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Wednesday that his client, who is charged with illegally entering a Hawaii public park that was closed because of the coronavirus, will plead not guilty. The rural park offers a view of the famed Mokolii island, also known as Chinaman’s Hat for its cone shape. Adams told a police officer who cited him that he was visiting Hawaii to work with Gov. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell had closed them at the time to try to prevent crowding that could spread the virus. It’s important that we all do the right things right now, even if we don’t feel we are personally at risk.”
The Latest: New Mexico sets another one-day COVID-19 record
We can’t take another hit.”___MIAMI - Florida has reported a slight uptick in daily confirmed COVID-19 cases, adding 3,449 to its total caseload on Friday. There were 3,861 new coronavirus cases reported in Wisconsin on Friday, breaking the previous record set just a day earlier of 3,747. The report, released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looks at coronavirus-associated deaths reported between May 1 and August 31. The deaths reported Friday include 10 women and eight men, all in their 60s or older. With 222 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, Spain’s total has reached 33,775.
Thousands arrive in Hawaii on first day pre-travel testing
A new pre-travel testing program will allow visitors who test negative for COVID-19 to come to Hawaii and avoid two weeks of mandatory quarantine goes into effect Thursday. “I need time to relax, unwind.”The new testing program is an effort to stem the devastating downturn the pandemic has had on Hawaii’s tourism-based economy. But gaps in the pre-travel testing program coupled with increasing cases of COVID-19 across the U.S. have raised questions about whether Hawaii is ready to safely welcome back vacationers. The $75 million program is being funded by federal CARES Act money and is aimed at stimulating the local economy. “This second test upon arrival to Hawaii island will provide an extra layer of protection for our community,” Kim said in a statement Monday.
Tourists return to Hawaii amid ever-changing pandemic rules
Coronavirus weary residents and struggling business owners in Hawaii will be watching closely as tourists begin to return to the islands on Thursday without having to self-quarantine upon arrival. The new testing program is an effort to stem the devastating downturn the pandemic has had on Hawaii’s tourism-based economy. But gaps in the pre-travel testing program coupled with increasing cases of COVID-19 across the U.S. have raised questions about whether Hawaii is ready to safely welcome back vacationers. David Ige on Wednesday to talk about a new restaurant debit card that will give some unemployed Hawaii residents a $500 to spend at local restaurants over the next 60 days. “This second test upon arrival to Hawaii island will provide an extra layer of protection for our community," said Big Island Mayor Harry Kim in a statement Monday.
Hawaii pushes forward with tourism despite safety concerns
After a summer marked by a surge of coronavirus cases in Hawaii, officials plan to reboot the tourism based economy later this month despite concerns about the state's pre-travel testing program. But others view the pre-travel testing plan as the best way to add a layer of protection while kickstarting the economy. As part of the plan, Hawaii is partnering with several U.S. mainland pharmacies and airlines for testing. He has also proposed implementing a voluntary surveillance testing program that would screen a percentage of arriving passengers who are in high-risk groups. “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t reopen until we had a vaccine," said John DeFries, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.