News Releases from Department of Health

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is revising the state’s COVID-19 isolation and quarantine policies to closely align with recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These changes are effective Monday, January 3, 2022 for all DOH directed isolation and quarantine. If COVID-19 positive regardless of vaccination status Isolate ...
Read More DOH revises state’s isolation & quarantine policy

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is expanding access to free COVID-19 testing on O‘ahu by providing families with community testing options during winter break. “DOH recognizes the importance of providing increased testing capacity to families and the community, especially while school testing programs are paused during the winter break,” said Health Director ...
Read More DOH provides bridge COVID-19 testing during winter break

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) has detected 24 additional cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529, also known as the Omicron variant. This brings the total number of confirmed Omicron cases in Hawai‘i to 74. While all Omicron cases detected thus far are on O‘ahu, four specimens from Hawaii Island ...
Read More Additional Omicron cases detected in Hawai‘i

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) wishes everyone a joyous holiday season and reminds everyone to celebrate safely. “Please, if you are eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot, get it now. Protect yourself and show aloha for family and friends by exercising caution this holiday season,” said Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char, FACEP. ...
Read More Safe holiday celebrations

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has detected additional COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant bringing the statewide total of Omicron cases to 50. Forty-nine of the 50 cases are on O‘ahu. The source and location of the remaining case is still being investigated. It is reasonable to believe Omicron may be present ...
Read More Additional Omicron cases found in Hawai‘i

LAHAINA – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s (DOH) Food Safety Branch issued 808 Grindz Cafe a green placard and approved its reopening after a follow-up inspection found that all the critical food safety violations were corrected. 808 Grindz Café, located at 843 Wainee Street, received a red placard on November 30, 2021 and was immediately ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health approves reopening of 808 Grindz Cafe in Lahaina

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is investigating 30 COVID-19 cases among patrons and employees of The Republik nightclub. All 30 individuals were at the nightclub for concerts on December 10 or 11. All patrons who visited The Republik on December 10 or 11 are urged to get tested for COVID-19 regardless of ...
Read More Concert attendees urged to get tested

HONOLULU – Today, the Hawai‘i Department of Health (HDOH), the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established an Interagency Drinking Water System (IDWS) Team to restore safe drinking water to affected Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) housing communities. The working group will ensure that the agencies are coordinated in ...
Read More Hawai‘i DOH, Navy, Army, and EPA establish Interagency Drinking Water System Team, sign water sampling plan

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is urging everyone to please exercise caution and celebrate the holidays safely as COVID-19 is surging. The 797 new COVID-19 cases reported today represent the highest case count in more than three months. The 7-day new case average increased from 101 ten days ago to 297 today. ...
Read More Caution urged as new surge hits Hawai‘i

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) will cease state-wide operation of isolation / quarantine facilities on December 31, 2021. This is pursuant to Governor Ige’s Emergency Proclamation related to COVID-19 dated November 29, 2021 which says, “… the counties shall continue to have direct responsibility for emergency management within their respective county.” Anyone ...
Read More State ends operation of isolation / quarantine facilities

HONOLULU – The evidentiary hearing concerning the Hawaiʻi Department of Health Order on Red Hill Operations is scheduled for Monday, December 20 at 8:00 AM HST. The hearing will continue from day to day until completed. The schedule is subject to change. The public can view the proceedings live on YouTube at www.youtube.com/c/HawaiiDOH. Once the ...
Read More Red Hill emergency order evidentiary hearing scheduled for Monday

Trace contamination detected at residences in Iroquois Point & McGrew Point HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) released 27 new laboratory reports related to the Navy water system incident. Five of the 27 results, located in the Iroquois Point and McGrew Point communities, detected trace levels of petroleum product well below the DOH ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health releases 27 new Navy Water System test results

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) marks the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 vaccinations in the islands by thanking the people of Hawai‘i, vaccination providers and everyone who has worked to make COVID-19 vaccines accessible around the state. “COVID-19 vaccines are truly life-savers. And everything we learn about the Omicron variant tells us the ...
Read More Hawai‘i marks COVID vaccine anniversary

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s (DOH) Food Safety Branch issued Lahaina Sports Bar a green placard and approved its reopening on Dec. 10 after a follow-up inspection found that all the critical food safety violations were corrected. Lahaina Sports Bar, located at 843 Wainee St., completed professional pest control treatments on December 8, ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health approves reopening of Lahaina Sports Bar

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) has detected 12 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529, also known as the Omicron variant, on O‘ahu. “Most of the infected individuals have no known connection with one another. This indicates the Omicron variant is spreading deeper into our communities,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. ...
Read More Omicron variant spreads

HONOLULU – Samples collected from the Navy’s Red Hill drinking water shaft on Sunday December 5 tested positive for high levels of gasoline and diesel range hydrocarbons. This is consistent with visual observations and odors detected by Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) staff when the samples were collected. DOH received the detailed lab reports late ...
Read More Hawai’i Department of Health confirms high levels of petroleum contamination in Navy’s Red Hill Shaft

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has ordered NextHealth to immediately cease and desist performing COVID-19 tests in the State of Hawai‘i without a license, permit or written approval. DOH also levied a $58,000 administrative penalty. NextHealth performed COVID-19 testing beginning from October 11, 2021 at the Four Seasons Resort Maui in Wailea ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health issues cease & desist order, ,000 penalty to NextHealth for conducting unauthorized COVID-19 testing

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is adopting expanded guidelines from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on COVID-19 booster vaccinations. Hawai‘i residents ages 16 and 17 may receive a booster dose if it has been at least six months since the completion of the initial series of the Pfizer BioNTech ...
Read More DOH expands booster authorization to 16 and 17-Year-Olds

HONOLULU – Diesel fuel levels more than double the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) limits for drinking water were reported by the Navy today in water samples collected at the Navy’s Aiea Halawa Shaft. The shaft is one of three ground water sources that provides drinking water to the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) water ...
Read More Petroleum contamination reported in Navy’s Aiea Halawa shaft

LAHAINA – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s (DOH) Food Safety Branch issued a red “closed” placard and immediately shut down Lahaina Sports Bar, located at 843 Wainee St., due to a cockroach infestation. Both adult and juvenile cockroach activity was observed. The food establishment, operated by Lahaina Café, LLC, received the red placard on December ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health issues red placard to Lahaina Sports Bar