Newsroom

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has received report of a travel-related dengue case on O‘ahu. The person had traveled to a region where dengue is known to be spread. Symptoms of dengue typically may be mild or severe and include fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, and body aches. Symptoms typically last two to ...
Read More Department of Health reports recent travel-related dengue virus case on O‘ahu

HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi State Senate voted today to confirm the appointment of Valerie Kato to serve as Deputy Director for the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH), where she joins Director Kenneth Fink, M.D. “Val brings knowledge, leadership and energy to DOH and we are very fortunate to have her on the team,” Director ...
Read More Valerie Kato confirmed deputy director of DOH

WAILUKU — The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s (DOH) Maui Food Safety Branch issued a red placard and immediately shut down Kings Chinese BBQ 5 (DBA General’s Chinese Restaurant) during a complaint inspection conducted on April 4, 2024, for a cockroach infestation. The establishment, operated by Kings Chinese BBQ 5 LLC, is located at 790 Eha ...
Read More DOH issues red placard to Kings Chinese BBQ 5 in Wailuku for cockroach infestation

HONOLULU  ̶  On March 27, 2024, Governor Green approved amendments to Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules (HAR), Chapter 11-850 (Interim Rules) Medical Cannabis Dispensaries to add pre-rolled cannabis flower products, also known as “pre-rolls,” as a manufactured cannabis product which may be produced and dispensed through licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in the state. These changes are made ...
Read More Department of Health amends administrative rules to allow pre-rolled cannabis flower products

HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that water quality at Hickam Elementary School remains safe, following an investigation into the cause of a single, unvalidated test result that exceeded DOH’s incident-specific parameter (ISP) for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH). The Navy notified the Hawaiʻi Department and Education (DOE) and the DOH on March ...
Read More Validated Navy Water System testing confirms good water quality at Hickam Elementary School

HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that Joint Task Force – Red Hill (JTF-RH) completed its obligations to safely defuel the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility as prescribed in DOH’s May 2022 Emergency Order. In a letter to Vice Admiral John Wade and Rear Admiral Stephen Barnett, DOH Deputy Director for ...
Read More As JTF-Red Hill completes operations, DOH looks ahead to overseeing permanent closure of Red Hill facility and aquifer remediation

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has released new guidance for staying safe from respiratory viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19. DOH’s new guidance is presented in a broader context of respiratory viruses. It closely aligns with the latest respiratory virus guidelines released earlier this month by the Centers for Disease Control ...
Read More Hawaiʻi Department of Health issues new guidance on staying safe from respiratory viruses

Honolulu – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) issued a red placard and immediately shut down Delice Crepes (lunch wagon), located at 66-472 Kamehameha Hwy in Haleʻiwa, because there were no functioning hand-washing stations inside the food truck. During an inspection conducted on March 21, 2024 to address a complaint, the DOH inspector noted critical ...
Read More DOH issues red placard to Delice Crepes (lunch wagon) in Haleʻiwa

HONOLULU – In observance of World Tuberculosis Day on March 24, 2024, the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is highlighting tuberculosis (TB) as a continuing public health issue in Hawaiʻi.   In 2023 Hawaiʻi had 116 diagnosed cases of active TB, up from 100 cases in 2022. This increase parallels the global and mainland experience in the ...
Read More Department of Health observes World Tuberculosis Day

LĪHUʻE, HAWAIʻI —The Kaua‘i District Health Office (KDHO) is hosting an open house on Friday, April 5, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 3040 Umi St. in Līhuʻe. The event will be open at no cost to the public in celebration of National Public Health Week. The April 5 event will provide the public ...
Read More Kaua‘i District Health Office to Host National Public Health Week Open House April 5, 2024

HONOLULU – Additional PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been detected in water samples collected at the Waialua Sugar Pump 2 water system (Public Water System HI0000309, owned by OPU Waialua Corp.) and serves approximately 500 persons in the northwest area of the island of O‘ahu. This new detection is a result of the continuing investigation ...
Read More Additional PFAS Detected in Waialua Sugar Pump 2 System 

HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., Hawai‘i Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, City and County of Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) Adult Mental Health Division, CARE Hawaii, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and members of the community gathered today to bless the state’s new Behavioral Health Crisis Center ...
Read More DOH OPENS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS CENTER IN IWILEI

HONOLULU  — The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) is advising travelers and residents to be on alert for measles, as international and continental U.S. outbreaks continue to increase, currently affecting 16 U.S. states as of February 29, 2024. DOH sent an advisory to physicians on January 26, 2024, reminding healthcare providers to be vigilant.  “Hawai‘i has ...
Read More Department of Health advises travelers and residents to be on alert for measles

HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) will convene a Fuel Tank Advisory Committee meeting Thursday on updates related to the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. The agenda includes information on the closure process, site assessment plan, and the Navy housing drinking water system. Representatives from the DOH, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and ...
Read More Department of Health to Host Fuel Tank Advisory Committee Meeting on March 7

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is in general agreement with today’s updated COVID-19 guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DOH continuously reviews data on respiratory pathogens, including the virus that causes COVID-19. The new guidelines reflect the current level of risk, while still protecting the most vulnerable. The advisement ...
Read More DOH supports new CDC guidelines on COVID-19

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) issued a red placard and immediately shut down Dick’s Lechon at 94-235 Hanawai Circle in Waipahu, (vending at Waikele Shopping Center), due to the mobile unit receiving food from an unapproved source. The food establishment, operated by Dick’s Lechon Corp, received the red placard on Feb. 29 ...
Read More DOH issues red placard to Dick’s Lechon in Waikele

HONOLULU – Following the tragic death of a staff member on Nov. 13, 2023, the Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) conducted a full safety and security review of the State Operated Specialized Residential Program (SOSRP) and Hawai‘i State Hospital (HSH) facilities. With input from SOSRP and HSH staff, DOH took immediate action to tighten security ...
Read More Department of Health announces plans to improve safety and care at Hawai‘i State Hospital facilities

Honolulu – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) issued a red placard on Feb. 27, 2024, and immediately shut down Café Alani, located at 208 Kapuni Street in Waikīkī when a DOH Food Safety Specialist was denied entry to conduct a routine inspection. A follow-up inspection was completed on Feb. 28, 2024, in which a green placard ...
Read More DOH issues red placard to Café Alani in Waikīkī

HONOLULU – The first Ambient Community Air Sampling Reports for Lahaina, issued by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH), confirm good ambient air quality for the period of January 13 to 24, 2024. “The results provide the community with reassurance that debris removal activities have not significantly impacted ambient air quality,” said Deputy Director for ...
Read More Lahaina Air Monitoring and Sampling Report Shows Good Air Quality

HONOLULU – The tobacco industry spends an estimated $22 million on marketing in Hawaiʻi each year costing the state $611 million in annual health care costs, $1.1 billion in lost productivity, and nearly $1,000 per household in state and federal tax burden....
Read More Department of Health extends “Stronger Together” campaign exposing tobacco industry targeted marketing to Hawai‘i’s youth  In an effort to combat the epidemic of youth vaping, the Hawaiʻi State Department ...
Read More Department of Health extends “Stronger Together” campaign exposing tobacco industry targeted marketing to Hawai‘i’s youth