Hawaii COVID-19 Daily Update

Linda Hohnholz - editor

Counties Roll Out Plans to Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19

Following the State of Hawai‘i’s plan for “15-Days to Slow the Spread” of COVID-19, Hawai‘i’s mayors have recently implemented county plans that are geared to their island residents. Department of Health supports everyone’s efforts to keep the community safe and healthy.

“We can be more effective in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 if everyone takes these aggressive actions seriously,” said Bruce Anderson, director of the Hawai‘i Department of Health. “The response to the Governor and County directives has been positive so far and there are many, such as food establishments, which have identified alternative ways to serve the public with drive-through and take-out service to maintain their operations.”

  • The City and County of Honolulu has mandated the closure of restaurants, parks and nightclubs for indoor service beginning 8:30 a.m. on Friday, March 20. Restaurant take-out, curb-side pick-up and delivery will be allowed.
  • The County of Kaua‘i issued an islandwide nighttime curfew beginning Friday, March 20. The curfew will be in effect from 9 p.m. through 5 a.m. daily until further notice. Individuals must remain in their residence during these specified hours, with a few exceptions.
  • The County of Maui announced rules that will be in effect beginning 7:45 a.m. on Friday, March 20, limiting the gathering of groups of people and curtailing vehicular transportation except for essential activities or operation of essential business or government functions. Restaurants and cafes that serve food within the premises are required to close; however, take-out and delivery service may continue.
  • Hawai‘i County issued guidance that restaurants, bars and places of worship may make their own decisions to open or close, and consider ways to minimize risk to customers and employees.

Please visit the county websites for more information.

Be Considerate When Purchasing Food and Supplies

The DOH reminds the public to be judicious when shopping for food and essential goods so that kūpuna and others in need are able to purchase necessary items. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) Harbors Division continues to manage Hawai‘i’s commercial ports–the lifeline for Hawai‘i’s communities for food, medical supplies, clothing, household goods and more. There have been no interruptions to the supply chain as a result of COVID-19.

Definition of Community Spread

Community spread is defined as cases that cannot be traced back to a traveler and have absolutely no travel related or involved connection with travel. As of noon today, March 19, all cases who tested positive in Hawaiʻi are travel related or involved with visitors on a daily basis.

Who should be tested for COVID-19?

Most people who are sick do not need to be tested. There is no specific medicine to treat COVID-19, so whether you test positive or negative, management of your illness will be the same.

Individuals who are not sick should not be tested even if they have been exposed to COVID-19.

Individuals who are sick with respiratory illness (e.g., fever and cough or shortness of breath)  AND who are at a higher risk for severe respiratory infections (e.g., older people, those with chronic medical conditions including immunosuppression) should call their usual source of healthcare to discuss whether they should be tested for COVID-19 and/or other infections such as influenza.

  • A provider’s referral is required to receive testing.
  • If you do not have a provider, call an urgent care center or community clinic in your area.

Anyone having difficulty breathing should seek medical care immediately. If possible, call your healthcare provider first so they are prepared to receive you.

Other people with mild illness should help protect our most vulnerable and conserve our precious supplies by practicing social distancing measures, monitoring their illness, and calling their healthcare provider if their symptoms worsen or persist.

State Launches New, Dedicated COVID-19 Website

The State of Hawai‘i unveiled a new website for the public to access the latest information on COVID-19 in Hawai‘i. The website, hawaiicovid19.com, is an inter-agency collaborative effort to keep the community safe and healthy. It provides timely information and resources on the coronavirus, including guidance on how to prevent and mitigate community spread, common symptoms of COVID-19, and frequently asked questions.

Social Distancing

COVID-19 recommendations are changing the rules on how much physical distance individuals should keep from each other. Cancelling events that do not allow attendees to be at least six feet apart—the equivalent of two arms length—and avoiding unnecessary physical meeting with others are proven strategies to mitigate the spread of the virus. The effectiveness of these initiatives largely depends on the cooperation and compliance from the public.

“One of the best ways to show aloha for each other at this critical time is to refrain from being in large gatherings and to keep a safe, healthy distance from each other,” said Health Director Bruce Anderson. “You may be healthy, but others around you may not be as fortunate. By practicing social distancing, you’re limiting the potential for exposure to any illness in your household and protecting everyone in our community. We all need to consider the health and wellbeing of others, especially seniors, those with preexisting health conditions and others whose health may be compromised.”

Anderson noted that technology enables us to have social distance without sacrificing emotional connection. “When feasible, we should use tools available for virtual meetings by phone, tablet or computer as a way to maintain contact with loved ones, especially kupuna in care homes given Gov. Ige’s directive to refrain from visiting nursing homes, retirement or long-term care facilities at this time.”

Ten New Positive Cases on O‘ahu and Maui

As of March 19, 2020, noon, there is a total of 26 confirmed or presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i. New positive results were announced today for eight individuals on O‘ahu and two individuals on Maui. All cases who tested positive in Hawaiʻi are travel related.

The Department of Health will be confirming case numbers daily at noon. The situation is fluid with constant changes. Any additional case information received after noon will be reported the following day.

COVID-19 Summary of Numbers as of March 19, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. HST

(updated as new information becomes available)

Number of Total Positive Case(s)* Statewide                         26

Honolulu                                                                               18

Maui County                                                                         5

Kaua‘i                                                                                   2

Hawai‘i Island                                                                        1

*Includes confirmed and presumptive cases.

Confirmed: Meets CDC criteria and positive test result received from a certified laboratory such as the DOH State Laboratories Division.

Presumptive Positive: Positive test results from a private laboratory requiring confirmation by a state public health laboratory.

Sentinel Surveillance Testing Results

The DOH has received 124 negative results from test samples selected from sites statewide with the goal of identifying possible community transmission of COVID-19. There were 62 negative test results received last week and 62 negative test results received this week.

2-1-1 Call Center for Information on COVID-19

The Aloha United Way call center is open daily between 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. For information or questions about COVID-19:

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