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2020 coronavirus pandemic in Hawaii | |
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Disease | COVID-19 |
Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
Location | Hawaii, US |
First outbreak | Grand Princess |
Index case | Oahu |
Arrival date | March 6, 2020 |
Confirmed cases | 258 (DOH) |
Recovered | 69 |
Deaths | 1 |
Official website | |
hawaiicovid19 |
As of March 31, 2020, there are 258 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 in Hawaii. Of those persons diagnosed, 170 were diagnosed in the City and County of Honolulu, 26 in Maui County, 12 in Kauai County, and 17 in Hawaii County, with an additional 31 cases classified as "pending." This figure includes confirmed and presumptive cases. One person has died from the disease. 69 persons have recovered.
The DOH (Hawaii Department of Health) has performed 263 tests on randomly chosen influenza-negative samples from around the state as a method of sentinel surveillance of community transmission between March 1 and March 20, 2020. All have come back negative for COVID-19.[1]
The Department of Land and Natural Resources has announced the closure of all state parks, including Diamond Head.[2]
On March 6, the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed in a Grand Princess passenger who had returned to Hawaii.[3]
On March 14, the first two cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on Kauai County, along with the first case on Maui County.[4] On March 16, Hawaii County reported its first confirmed case.[5] On March 18, two more cases were confirmed in Honolulu County, bringing the statewide total to 16.[6]
On March 19 at noon, new positive results were announced for eight individuals on O‘ahu and two individuals on Maui.[7] On March 20, 11 new cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases in Hawaii to 37. These cases include the first two instances of community transmission.[8] On March 21, 11 new cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases in Hawaii to 48.[9] The following day on March 22, 8 more cases were announced.[10]
March 16: Governor David Ige announced that spring break for public schools in Hawaii would be extended for an additional week in order to give school administrators time to evaluate recommendations for stopping the spread of the virus.[11] On March 18, the closures were extended for an additional week.[12]
March 18: Kauai County announced a nighttime curfew effective March 20 and a limit on airline travel to essential needs until further notice.[13]
March 19: the Hawaii Department of Transportation stated that passengers from cruise ships would not be allowed to disembark in Hawaii.[14] The same day, Honolulu City Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced efforts to curb the spread of the virus, including the closures of parks and a 15-day ban on dining in, at restaurants and bars. However, it was also announced that there were no plans to put a curfew in place.[15] Similar measures were announced by Mayor Michael Victorino for Maui County, effective from March 20 until May 3. [16]
Also on March 19, Hawai`i House Speaker Scott Saiki called on the governor to institute an immediate statewide shutdown for 15 days, requiring people to shelter in their homes or hotel rooms, to quarantine all travelers from outside Hawai`i for 15 days, prohibit all non-essential inter-island and out-of-state travel, and close all public and private schools and daycare centers. The Governor's office responded, "Gov. Ige continues to work through all the options, including their potential benefits and consequences, to secure our islands and do what's best for our communities."[17]
March 20: the Honolulu City Council and Mayor Kirk Caldwell joined House Speaker Scott Saiki and Lt. Gov. Josh Green in calling on the governor to put in place emergency measures to stop visitors from coming to Hawaii.[17]
March 21: Governor Ige mandates a 14-day quarantine for all visitors and residents returning to Hawai`i. He resists calls for a shelter-in-place order, saying that should wait until "there is widespread community spread of the virus."[18]
Over 100 physicians signed an open letter sent to Governor Ige, Maui Mayor Mike Victorino, and state Department of Health Director Bruce Anderson urging authorities to issue an immediate shelter-in-place order for the state.[19]
March 22: Mayor Caldwell and Mayor Victorino both announced stay at home orders for Honolulu County and Maui County, respectively. The order for Honolulu County would go into effect on March 23 at 4:30 p.m., and the order in Maui County is to go into effect on March 25. Both orders are to be in effect until April 30.[20]
On March 12, the National Collegiate Athletic Association cancelled all winter and spring tournaments, most notably the Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, affecting colleges and universities statewide.[21]
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases in Hawaii[22]
Confirmed Cases Updated April 1, 2020[23][22] Deaths Updated April 1, 2020[23][22] | ||
---|---|---|
County | Confirmed Cases | Deaths |
Hawaii | 17 | 0 |
Honolulu | 170 | 1 |
Kauai | 12 | 0 |
Maui | 26 | 0 |
Unknown/Pending | 31 | 0 |
Total (Statewide) | 258 | 1 |