Newsroom

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige has appointed Serafin “Jun” Colmenares Jr. as the administrator of the State Health Planning & Development Agency (SHPDA). Previously, Colmenares Jr. was the acting administrator for the agency and concurrently serving as SHPDA Comprehensive Health Planning Coordinator, in which he provided staffing for health planning councils in West Oahu, Windward ...
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HONOLULU – Beginning March 30 through July 31, the Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is launching the “Stay Healthy, Stay at Home” campaign on KHON2, iHeart Media, and in Honolulu Star Advertiser print and digital platforms. The goal of the campaign is to encourage adults, especially seniors, to practice social distancing and good hygiene to ...
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is warning everyone about the hazards and dangers of using non-approved drugs for COVID-19. Antimalarial drugs have been recently reported as possible treatments against COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. While hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine prescription medications have been used for treatment of malaria and certain ...
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HONOLULU – Internal communication of a COVID-19 test at the Dept. of Health resulted in a report being misread and initiated a retest of samples today from an O‘ahu adult, who died on March 20, 2020. This evening the second test came back negative for COVID-19. DOH Director Dr. Bruce Anderson says our focus was ...
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The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is waiving routine TB clearance requirements for selected groups to support COVID-19 mitigation efforts. The suspension will remain in effect through May 31, 2020. The suspension will support social distancing in the community to protect the public, especially vulnerable seniors and individuals with medical conditions that could increase their ...
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HONOLULU – An O‘ahu adult is Hawai‘i’s first death from COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. The Department of Health reports the person passed away on March 20, 2020 and suffered from multiple underlying health conditions. The available history for this person suggests they had a potential indirect travel-related exposure. The person had been tested at a ...
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The State of Hawaii has launched a new website — www.hawaiicovid19.com — to equip residents and visitors with information and resources to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community. HawaiiCOVID19.com will serve as a hub for Hawai‘i’s inter-agency coordinated effort to combat the spread of the disease statewide and will be populated with more ...
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HONOLULU — With thousands of students off from school for spring break beginning next week, the Hawai‘i Department of Health is issuing guidelines families can follow to protect themselves against COVID-19 infection. Family members who are especially vulnerable include those who are 60 years and older, have a compromised immune system, or have existing health ...
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HONOLULU — Hawaii is shifting its COVID-19 response efforts into higher gear this week by launching a statewide surveillance testing program to identify cases of community spread of the coronavirus. This additional layer of testing helps detect COVID-19 cases earlier so that appropriate steps can be taken to contain the virus. Community spread is defined ...
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HONOLULU – The Department of Health (DOH) Neurotrauma Supports Program kicks off National Brain Injury Awareness Month by unveiling the UnMasking Brain Injury Mobile Exhibit at the “Rock It, Don’t Stock It” rally on March 4th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa, Campus Center, located at 2465 Campus Road, ...
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eWIC provides a faster, more flexible and simpler way to pay for groceries HONOLULU, HAWAII — Following the successful launch of an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card on Kaua‘i, the Hawai‘i Department of Health will now extend the benefit to Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program participants on March 3, 2020, making access to healthy ...
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Office of Health Care Assurance (OHCA) is committed to protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of seniors by conducting ongoing investigations and taking appropriate action toward unlicensed adult residential care homes.  OHCA has issued a Notice of Violation and Order (NOVO) to Emily Lee, owner and operator of ...
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch has issued a $120,000 administrative penalty to Erin N. Carillo and Thomas H. Hernandez, the promoters of the Honolulu Tattoo Expo for aiding and abetting 12 unlicensed tattoo artists to practice the occupation of tattooing at a public event at the Hawaii Convention Center ...
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) was notified today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that an adult male who traveled to Maui from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3 and to Oahu from Feb. 3-7 has been confirmed for COVID-19. The individual is a Japanese national who developed severe symptoms, ...
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HONOLULU – Nearly 500 individuals with developmental disabilities, their family members, service providers and advocates from all islands will convene at the Hawai‘i State Capitol to celebrate their abilities during the 20th annual Day at the Capitol on Thursday, March 5, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will highlight national Developmental Disabilities ...
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) has approved Hawai‘i Island licensee Hawaiian Ethos LLC for its second licensed medical cannabis dispensary retail center located at 64-1035 Mamalahoa Hwy., Unit J, Waimea, HI 96743. There are now 13 licensed retail dispensary locations operating on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i Island. Hawaiian Ethos opened ...
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed a case of angiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease, in an adult on the island of Kaua‘i. With the additional case, this brings the statewide total to nine cases of individuals confirmed with angiostrongyliasis in 2019. This includes eight individuals who likely contracted the disease on ...
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health Clean Air Branch (DOH) has issued Notices and Finding of Violation and Orders (NOVOs) against two companies. All those responsible have or had the option to request a hearing to contest their alleged violations and penalties. Covanta Honolulu Resource Recovery Venture (H-Power) in Kapolei on O‘ahu, was cited ...
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HONOLULU – Although the risk to the general public is low, the Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is working with state, county, and federal partners including the medical community and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to actively prepare for possible cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Last week, the DOH alerted ...
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is forewarning companies that make, distribute or sell flavored cartridge- or pod-based e-cigarettes to stop or risk the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) taking enforcement actions against them. The FDA announced the enforcement policy on Jan. 2, 2020, and companies have until the end of this ...
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