The State Department of Health Director, Dr. Bruce Anderson, released additional information today about the number of COVID-19 cases on the Big Island which are currently active.
Out of a total of 41 cases that have been confirmed on the Big Island, the DOH says 29 have been released from isolation and are no longer in quarantine. Anderson said in Governor David Ige’s briefing that the current practice is that people are considered negative after 7 days without symptoms.
Anderson also confirmed the outbreak at a “Kona fast-food, drive-through” restaurant is at the McDonald’s on Makala Blvd., in the Kona Commons Shopping Center, across the parking lot from Target. The State Department of Health’s initial report was 8 cases connected with the restaurant. Dr. Bruce Anderson said in today’s briefing that a total of 12 people associated with the worker (family members as well as workers) have tested positive for COVID-19. The Hawaii Island DOH office also revealed that it’s not just the McDonald’s on Makala Blvd. that is closed for disinfection, but also the McDonald’s at the Kona WalMart. Patrick Lim is the owner of both locations and confirmed that both locations are being disinfected and he looks forward to reopening them both when it is safe, using guidelines from the State Department of Health and the CDC. A third location in Kailua-Kona at 75-5729 Kuakini Highway at Kalani Street (aka Hamburger Hill) is open.
The local Hawaii Island State Department of Health said the investigations are ongoing. The numbers of those infected could change. Dr. Anderson said other employees are also in isolation and the local Hawaii Island DOH office said there are some still awaiting test results. Dr. Anderson says the numbers of those infected are already included in the State’s and the island’s numbers.
Anderson also confirmed a reporter’s query in the press conference that one of the people infected in connection with the McDonald’s employee was flown to O’ahu for treatment. The reporter (Darryl Huff of Hawaii News Now) also asked for a confirmation as to whether first responders were exposed and had to be in isolation. Dr. Anderson confirmed the first responders were in isolation. Hawaii News Now reported that 4 paramedics and firefighters were affected.
Anderson said he believed no customers were in jeopardy as the McDonald’s Kona locations had put in plexiglass barriers between customers and workers, and they were practicing appropriate social distancing measures.
Anderson said although the numbers throughout the state are relatively low, and especially so on the Big Island, he fully expects that COVID-19 will be with us in the state for several years. He and Lt. Governor Josh Green emphasized the importance of continued isolation, social distancing, and wearing masks in public around other people.
Below is the updated State Department of Health April 14 report:
LABORATORY TESTING DATA
| Total Number of Individuals Tested
by Clinical and State Laboratories |
Positive | Negative |
|
19,591 |
515 | 19,044 |
32 test results were inconclusive
HAWAI‘I COVID-19 COUNTS AS OF 12:00 NOON, APRIL 14, 2020
| Island of Diagnosis | New Cases | Reported since
2/28/2020 (including new cases) |
Total Released from Isolation |
| O‘ahu | 6 | 358 | 249 |
| Hawai‘i | 1 | 41 | 29 |
| Maui | 2 | 86 | 41 |
| Kaua‘i | 0 | 21 | 14 |
| Moloka‘i | 0 | 2 | Included in Maui numbers |
| Lana‘i | 0 | 0 | Included in Maui numbers |
| Residents Diagnosed outside HI | 4 | 6 | |
| Unknown** | 0 | 3 | |
|
Total |
13 | 517 | |
|
Total released from isolation |
333 | ||
|
Deaths |
0 | 9 |
** Refers to positive cases that have an unknown county of diagnosis at the time of this report. As more information becomes available for these cases, they are assigned to the proper County of Diagnosis. A negative number indicates the number of previously unknown cases that have now been assigned to a county.