LIVE: Seven Coronavirus Cases in Hawai‘i Detailed

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Maui Now cover graphics. Virus image: CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MS

The number of COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi ticked upward over the weekend.  Officials with the state Department of Health are hosting a LIVE update at 1:30 p.m. HST on Sunday, March 15, 2020. (*Live feed courtesy KHON2 News).

The state Department of Health today detailed the most recent positive test results received from Clinical Labs of Hawaiʻi.  All three are travel related with exposure outside the state of Hawaiʻi.  One case is on Maui and two are on Oʻahu.  This brings to seven the total number of presumptive positive COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi.

Case Highlights:

Case 7: An Oʻahu resident returned from a trip to Florida with their entire family on March 8.  The person developed cough, but no fever on March 9.  A specimen was collected on March 10.  The person is self isolating from the rest of the family and is staying in a bedroom with a dedicated bathroom. Other family members have been advised to remain in home quarantine, isolated away from the sick individual.

Case 6: On Saturday evening, March 14, County of Maui officials were informed that the test result for one Person Under Investigation here on Maui was returned positive for Coronavirus or COVID-19. This is the first case for the island of Maui. The female visitor is currently in isolation and continues to be monitored by the state Department of Health. Health officials say the presumptive positive test result came from a private laboratory and is pending confirmation by a certified state public health laboratory. This case involves a flight attendant with Air Canada who is currently on Maui.  Gov. Ige said he believes the individual is a Canadian citizen. Symptom onset began on March 9. The last flight that the flight attendant took was March 8.  “We believe that any risk to any passengers on the previous flight is low,” said Gov. David Ige.  A specimen was collected on March 11.  The individual was exposed to a confirmed case in Germany on March 4. Because of the notification of exposure and symptoms, the flight attendant self isolated at the Royal Lahaina Resort hotel on Maui.  Following the positive result, the individual was moved by AMR to an isolation at a Lahaina clinic.

Case 5: On Saturday evening, March 14, the state Department of health received a presumptive positive test result for COVID-19 for an individual on Oʻahu.  The test result came from a private laboratory and is pending confirmation by a certified state public health laboratory.  This involves at Hawaiʻi resides on Oʻahu. The individual traveled to Colorado from Feb. 29 to March 7. Symptoms began on March 9. A specimen was collected on March 11.  The person and family members have been advised to stay at home and be in self-quarantine.  A child in the home had respiratory symptoms. A specimen was taken from the child and was confirmed to be negative for COVID-19.  The preschool that the child attends was notified that a person in the child’s home tested positive for COVID-19, but there is no risk to children or staff at the pre-school.  The child will not be returning to the preschool until after the quarantine is completed.

Case 3 & 4: On March 13, state officials confirmed that two visitors to the island of Kauaʻi (who had also visited Maui during their stay) tested positive for the coronavirus or COVID-19, becoming the third and fourth presumptive positive tests in Hawaiʻi.  Authorities have since said the couple is originally from Indiana. They stayed at a hotel in Lahaina, Maui from March 2 to 8 before traveling to Kauaʻi. Both sought urgent care while on Maui before flying to Kauaʻi.  At this time, at least three healthcare workers (one on Kauaʻi and two on Maui) have been excluded from work because of possible exposure from the couple.

Case 2: On March 8, DOH tested a second presumptive positive test result for an elderly adult who is hospitalized in serious condition on O‘ahu. The individual felt ill on March 2 in Washington State and traveled home to Honolulu on March 4.

Case 1: The first presumptive positive case was announced March 6. That individual was a passenger on the Grand Princess cruise in Mexico from Feb. 11-21. After arriving in Mexico, the individual traveled home to Honolulu with no symptoms. While home in Honolulu, the individual became ill on March 1, sought medical care and was tested on March 6.

US Stats: As of noon ET on Saturday, March 14, 2020, there were 1,629 (1678 according to the World Health Organization) total cases in the US; 41 deaths; and 47 jurisdictions reporting cases (46 states and District of Columbia), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

World Stats: The World Health Organization reports that across the globe, there are 153,648 confirmed cases, 5,746 deaths and 146 countries, areas or territories with cases (as of 3/15/2020 5 a.m. HST or 3/15/2020 4 p.m. CET).