Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, March 1, 2020

Endangered ʻiʻiwi in ʻōhiʻa. Read about protections for the endemic bird. Photo from Environment Hawaiʻi

ENVIRONMENT HAWAIʻI REPORTS ON ENDANGERED FOREST BIRDS at increased risks from the effects of climate change. According to the latest publication, the effects "are manifesting themselves sooner and more devastatingly than anything predicted even a decade ago, and the mosquitoes that spread the disease to ʻiʻiwi and other endangered and threatened forest birds are encroaching on their habitat at a rapid pace," says a statement from the publisher. "In this light, the work done by scientists at the USGS' Pacific Islands Ecosystem Research Center in Volcano and colleagues in Wisconsin addresses an important first question: Supposing that ʻiʻiwi could be re-engineered to make them invulnerable to malaria, would it be possible to establish these resistant birds in the wild?"

     The statement on the new edition of Environment Hawaiʻi reports that "it is too early to know if malaria resistance could be imparted to the birds at all, but to have a thumb's-up answer on the question whether ʻiʻiwi with this quality might be successfully established in the wild clears the way for further work." Carter T. Atkinson and Dennis A. LaPointe are USGS scientists working on the issue. See Environment Hawaiʻi.

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TULSI GABBARD REMAINS THE YOUNGEST AND ONLY PERSON OF COLOR AMONG SIX DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. The 38 year-old Congresswoman, who represents Kaʻū and all of rural Hawaiʻi, is sticking to the campaign trail.
     Reuters described Gabbard today: "The Samoan-American congresswoman from Hawaiʻi is the first Hindu to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and has centered her campaign on her anti-war stance. Despite
finishing in all four early primary states near the bottom of the heap, Gabbard, an Iraq war veteran, has vowed to continue to campaign. Gabbard's populist, anti-war approach has won her fans among both the far left and the far right." Gabbard was reported to be heading to campaign events in Michigan.
     Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer dropped out after yesterday's South Carolina primary election, won by former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. With 256,047 votes, Biden was followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, with 105,197, Steyer with 59,893,  Buttigieg with 43,606, Sen. Elizabeth Warren with 37,346, Sen. Amy Klobuchar with 16,677, and Gabbard with 6,754. Other candidates who dropped out of the race earlier, including economic justice organizer Andrew Yang and Sen. Cory Booker, remained on the South Carolina ballot and received fewer votes than Gabbard.
     Former New York Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg was not on the South Carolina ballot but will be on ballots around the country this coming Super Tuesday, when 14 states will hold primary elections. Super Tuesday also includes votes from American Samoa and Democrats abroad. Voting will take place in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.
 
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Mayor Harry Kim proclaimed an emergency and affixed the seal of he County of Hawai`i to his proclamation dealing with COVID-19.

AN EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION FOR COVID-19 preparedness and response has been issued by Mayor Harry Kim. His statement said it is proactive - "to do all we can to prevent the virus from coming here and to do all we can to limit its impact if it does come here."
     The proclamation allows greater mobilization of County resources, positions the County for reimbursement should state and federal funds become available. It also allows for coordination with federal, state, and non-governmental organization partners and allow for reassignment of County personnel if necessary.
     The proclamation is in response to the spread of the disease throughout the world. The number of confirmed cases around the globe passed 88,000 on Sunday, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University. More than 3,000 infected people died and more than 45,000 recovered. The highest number of deaths was more than 2,800 in Hubei, China, followed by Iran with 54 and Italy with 34. The U.S. had it's first two deaths from the virus this weekend, in Washington state. More than 60 countries have reported confirmed cases.
     "While recognizing that the County of Hawai‘i and the State of Hawai‘i have no reported COVID-19 cases, the County of Hawai‘i will be increasing promotion of precautionary measures and education as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and State of Hawai‘i Department of Health, by increasing County-wide programs" aimed at prevention, said Kim. "Our goal is to stop the virus, and if it does come here, to mitigate the spread of the virus."

An electron microscope image of COVID-19. Photo from NIAID

     The County is allowed extra authority under Chapter 127A Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, which provides for the establishment of County organizations for emergency management and disaster relief with the Mayor having direct responsibility and authority over emergency management within the County.
     The County proclamation points to the Jan. 30 statement from the World Health Organization, "declaring a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan City Hubei Provence, China," and that COVID-19 had infected tens of thousands in parts of China, and spread to other countries, including the United States.
     The proclamation also recommends the seasonal flu shot and frequent washing of hands, with soap and water or an alcohol based sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. It urges the public to avoid touching of eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, and to practice healthy cough etiquette, using a disposable tissue or a sleeve.

Test kit for COVID-19. Photo from CDC

     It recognizes the authority of the mayor to sponsor and enter into mutual aid programs; receive, expend, and use contributions or grants and procure federal aid; and to "relieve hardships and inequities or obstructions to public health, safety, or welfare found by the Mayor to exist in the laws of the county."
     Kim concluded that as Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i, he does "hereby proclaim and declare that a state of emergency exists due to the imminent danger or threat of emergency on the Hawai‘i Island, effective Friday, February 28, 2020, and continuing thereon for 60 days or until further act by this office." With ceremony, he affixed the Seal of the County of Hawaiʻi to the proclamation.

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HIGH SURF AND HIGH WIND ADVISORIES are in effect for Kaʻū. High winds can be expected through tomorrow at 6 p.m. Northeast winds of 20 to 35 miles per hour, with localized gusts over 45 mph, will be capable of downing tents or other temporary structures, as well as downing trees and causing power outages. High surf will impact east-facing shores through early next week due to a combination of strong trades and large seas.