News Releases from Department of Health

HONOLULU — Protecting your Medicare number has never been more important. Every year, scammers target our kūpuna, using stolen Medicare information to file false claims that drain an estimated $60 billion annually. Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Hawaiʻi, a program of the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) Executive Office on Aging, reminds Hawaiʻi residents to protect ...
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HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is actively monitoring an outbreak of Bundigbugyo virus, a strain of Ebola virus, that is occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. On May 16, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared a public health emergency of international concern due to the outbreak. This declaration enables the WHO and ...
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HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is warning residents about the growing availability of the substance 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as “7-OH,” a potent opioid-like substance. Considered dangerous, 7-OH is a concentrated and in some cases synthetic, form of a naturally occurring trace compound found in the kratom plant, sometimes marketed as “enhanced kratom.” ...
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HONOLULU — PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been detected in water samples collected at the Haleakalā Park Rain Shed Chlorinator of the Haleakalā National Park water system (Public Water System HI0000222), which serves areas of Haleakalā National Park on Maui. The detection of PFAS at the Haleakalā Park Rain Shed Chlorinator was confirmed through ...
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HONOLULU —The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) will conduct the 2026 Hawai‘i Teen Health and Media Survey over the next two months. Information collected will be used to develop and improve health programs and services for Hawaiʻi’s youth. In the coming weeks, some households across the state will receive a mailed letter from DOH with ...
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ʻAIEA, Hawaiʻi — The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Office of Health Care Assurance (OHCA) has issued an order against Loreen Troxel following enforcement action for serious and substantive violations of Hawai‘i Administrative Rules Chapter 11-800. DOH, through its contractor, Community Ties of America (CTA), confirmed that during one incident, Troxel left Community Care Foster ...
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HONOLULU — A follow-up round of environmental sampling in areas impacted by the Kona Low storms shows a general decrease in concentrations of environmental pathogens associated with the event. Overall, downward trends from initial measurements suggest the environment is recovering and naturally reducing the presence of storm-related pathogens. Follow-up sampling was conducted at two sites ...
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HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) announced today that its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Branch has been named the 2026 National State EMS Office / Agency of the Year by the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials. This national recognition honors Hawaiʻi’s leadership in advancing innovative, community-centered emergency medical care and ...
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