Hawaii: Latest updates on Coronavirus

Last updated March 16 at 12:43 pm ET

There are seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hawaii, all of them travel-related, according to a statement from the Hawaii State Department of Health. All seven of the people were exposed outside of Hawaii, according to the statement.

The first presumptive positive case was identified on March 6, and was a visitor to Hawaii who was likely exposed to the coronavirus while on the Grand Princess cruise ship, which journeyed to Hawaii before coronavirus cases on board turned the trip into a quarantine nightmare. 

The second case was a resident who was hospitalized with COVID-19 after returning to Hawaii from Washington State. Two other cases were visitors to Kaua’i from Indiana, one case was a visitor to Maui and two cases were that of O’ahu residents.

“There is no evidence of community spread at this time, but the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) is working to identify all close contacts of these cases and monitoring the health of people who may have been exposed,” according to the Hawaii State Department of Health website. 

Officials are screening passengers that arrive at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to identify those coming from countries that require quarantine or public health supervision. Anyone who has traveled to areas with sustained community transmission are being asked to self-isolate and monitor their health for 14 days.

The Hawaii State Department of Education is extending its spring break through March 27 for public and charter school students, according to the statement. Wilcox Medical Center along with O’ahu’s Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children ,Pali Momi Medical Center and Straub Medical Center are offering drive-through COVID-19 testing from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. But if people want to be tested they first need to contact a physician to order the test, according to the statement.

The Queen’s Medical Center- Punchbowl in Honolulu, Hawaii has set up a tent to screen patients for COVID-19 but only patients with mild to moderate flu-like symptoms and those with a doctor’s note will be tested, according to the statement. Patients with more severe symptoms will be sent to the emergency room.

Aloha United Way has set up a call center that runs from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week if the public wants more information on COVID-19. 

-You can call 2-1-1 from any location in the state

-Text 877-275-6569 

-Email [email protected] 

-Visit hawaii.gov/covid19 or coronavirus.gov

COVID-19 cases by island:

  • Kauai: 2
  • O’ahu: 4
  • Maui: 1

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