Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Last Updated on March 10, 2020

Current Situation

Update: On March 8th, the second presumptive positive case of COVID-19 was identified in Hawaii. The patient is an elderly resident who was hospitalized after returning to Hawaii from Washington State where the individual became ill. The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) is coordinating with federal officials to identify and contact any persons who may have had close contact with the case while traveling. HDOH will contact anyone seated within 2 rows of the ill traveler. Anyone else who has recently returned from Washington State is considered to be at low risk and should monitor their health for 14 days from the date they left Washington State. If you have recently traveled and develop symptoms of fever or cough, call your healthcare provider and let them know about your travel history.

An outbreak of a new coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) that began in Wuhan, China has been developing since December 2019.  This outbreak now includes tens of thousands of infections in China and thousands of confirmed cases in a number of other countries, including hundreds in the United States.

 

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

COVID-19 Sentinel Surveillance

As of 8:00 AM, March 9, 2020 there have been 647 total cases detected in 36 states (or districts) through US public health surveillance systems. This represents an increase of 224 cases and 1 new state in the past day. Among the identified cases to-date, 83 have been travel-related, 36 were from person-to-person spread, and the source is still under investigation for the remaining 528. An additional 49 cases have been identified among persons repatriated (brought back to the US from abroad) by the US government from Wuhan, China or the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship. There have been 25 total deaths.

(Note: Numbers are updated once daily from official CDC counts and may differ from media counts as new cases are identified by local jurisdictions.)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in several other countries and the situation is changing rapidly. Based on the current available evidence, the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are urging all residents to avoid travel to areas with a high burden of the disease and to prepare for the possibility that COVID-19 could eventually spread in our communities. 

If you are considering international travel, check CDC’s Travelers’ Health website for country-specific health information and alerts.

You should evaluate all risks associated with travel and take the appropriate proactive measures. Visit the U.S. State Department Travel website for travel restrictions that may affect your itinerary.

Impact in Hawaii

On March 8th, the second presumptive positive case of COVID-19 was identified in Hawaii. The patient is an elderly resident who was hospitalized for the condition after returning to Hawaii from Washington State where the individual became ill. The Hawaii Department of Health is in the process of coordinating with federal officials to identify and contact any persons who may have had close contact with the case while traveling. HDOH will contact anyone seated within 2 rows of the ill traveler. Anyone else who has recently returned from Washington State is considered to be at low risk and should monitor their health for 14 days from when they left Washington State. If you have recently traveled and develop symptoms of fever or cough, call your healthcare provider and let them know about your travel history.

The first presumptive positive case was identified on March 6, 2020. The patient is a local resident and was likely exposed while aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship. There is no evidence of community spread at this time, but the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) is working to determine if the patient had any close contact with anyone while they were ill.

Screening is being conducted at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) by federal authorities to identify travelers from countries with restrictions that require quarantine or public health supervision.

Any passengers having travel history to areas with widespread sustained community transmission are being asked to stay home and monitor their health for 14 days from the time they left the affected area.

What can I do?

 

  1. Prepare for what to do if COVID-19 becomes widespread in our communities.
  2. Protect yourself and your family from COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.

 

Prepare – You can prepare now for a potential outbreak of COVID-19 in Hawaii:

  • Stock up on all prescription medications and other basic household items like food and cleaning products so you can care for yourself and your family at home if someone becomes ill. Supplies of these items may be affected in the event of a pandemic.
  • Plan for the possibility of school closures, cancelled events and activities.
  • Consider talking to your employer about your organization’s strategies for preventing the spread of illness in the workplace (e.g., alternative scheduling, telecommuting, online meetings).
  • Consider practicing basic social distancing measures like limiting your time spent around large groups and avoiding unnecessary close contact with people (e.g., handshakes, aloha kiss).

Protect – Following everyday preventive actions can prevent or slow down the spread of respiratory illness in the community:

  • Get your flu shot. People with seasonal influenza will exhibit similar signs and symptoms as COVID-19 (fever and cough). If more people are protected against influenza, this will reduce confusion and the burden on our healthcare system.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home if you start to feel ill.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household
    cleaning spray or wipe.

All travelers from China should monitor their health for 14 days after they left that location and avoid social contact.

  • During this time, stay home and avoid group settings, including work and school.
  • Have another family member/friend, who didn’t travel from this location, run errands for you, such as picking up food or medicine.
  • Avoid using public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares.
  • Watch your health, and if you have a thermometer, take your temperature 2 times a day.

Travelers from other areas where there is confirmed widespread community transmission should self-monitor their health for 14 days after they left that location.

If you become ill with a fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher) or cough, and have recently left an area having widespread community transmission of COVID-19 or have had prolonged close contact with a person confirmed to have COVID-19:

  • Stay home and avoid contact with others except for seeking medical care.
  • If you need medical care, call ahead to your doctor’s office or an emergency room and let them know about your travel history. If you need emergent medical care, call 911.
  • If you have difficulty accessing medical care or have questions about how to care for yourself at home, call HDOH at (808) 586-4586.

 

What HDOH is doing

Vigilance and Monitoring  

  • We are actively working to detect potential cases of COVID-19 as early as possible by monitoring our disease surveillance systems to identify persons that require investigation and testing and are reviewing internal protocols to ensure proper management of cases.
  • We are working with our federal airport partners (U.S. Customs and Border Protections and CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine) who are performing enhanced screening to identify travelers returning from China. Our disease investigation staff are actively monitoring these individuals with daily phone calls to record their temperature and confirm that they are avoiding contact with the public.
  • We are in constant communication with the CDC, public health partners in other jurisdictions, and our local legislators and state officials to ensure Hawaii is aware of new developments in the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • Over the past 15 years we have been developing and refining our respiratory disease surveillance systems following CDC guidelines. This system includes sentinel influenza-like illness surveillance sites, virologic surveillance, pneumonia and influenza associated mortality, and cluster/outbreak investigations.  We are monitoring these systems on a daily basis looking for changes that might indicate the presence of COVID-19 in Hawaii.

Preparation and Prevention  

  •  We are working with the medical community to issue Medical Advisories and Alerts and to ensure that hospitals and providers are following infection control recommendations and are prepared to detect and treat any patient with symptoms and travel history consistent with COVID-19.
  • We are communicating regularly with our local partners in the travel industry and schools to address their concerns and ensure the latest and most accurate guidance and information are being shared with their staff (see Workplace Guidance and Guidance for Schools and Universities below).

Resources

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Information for Specific Groups

For more detailed and up-to-date information, visit CDC’s website.

For general questions about COVID-19, you can call Aloha United Way at 211 (dial 2-1-1)

Information for Clinicians

If you have a patient with symptoms and travel history consistent with this outbreak, contact the Hawaii Department of Health, Disease Outbreak Control Division at (808) 586-4586.

For more information, see our updates for clinicians page.