HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) announced today that preliminary, unvalidated data from ash sampling it received late Friday night shows very high levels of arsenic in wildfire ash collected in Kula. The testing also indicated elevated levels of lead and cobalt. Parameter Unit Lab Report #1 Lab Report #2 Lab Report #3 ...
Read More Preliminary Kula ash samples show elevated levels of toxic substances
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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has selected Kenneth Luke, MD as the new administrator of the Hawai‘i State Hospital. Dr. Luke begins his appointment on Monday, October 16, 2023 and will lead Hawai‘i’s only forensic psychiatric hospital. He served as the interim hospital administrator since May of 2023. “Ken has a broad ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health appoints Kenneth Luke as administrator of Hawai‘i State Hospital
DOH continues to urge precautions for people entering impacted areas HONOLULU – Results from validated air sampling conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Lāhainā and Kula in late August are reassuring. The results do not show evidence of poor air quality or any hazardous levels of contaminants in the air at the ...
Read More Validated EPA air sampling data shows good air quality
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) has conditionally approved the Joint Task Force-Red Hill (JTF-RH) plan to defuel the main tanks of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility beginning October 16, 2023. DOH approval is contingent on JTF-RH adherence to the plan to remove fuel from the Red Hill underground storage tanks ...
Read More Department of Health conditionally approves defueling of Red Hill tanks, setting stage for defueling to begin
Hawai‘i Department of Health approves fourth medical cannabis retail dispensary for Maui Pono Life SciencesKĪHEI – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) has issued a formal notice to proceed to Pono Life Sciences, LLC dba Pono Life Maui, after its fourth retail facility passed its final on-site inspection. Pono Life Maui’s new retail site ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health approves fourth medical cannabis retail dispensary for Maui Pono Life Sciences
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) will conduct a needs assessment survey for residents affected by the wildfires. The DOH survey will assess ongoing priorities identified by the community and barriers to accessing healthcare and other essential services. “It’s critical that efforts by the Department of Health and our partners are driven by ...
Read More Department of Health to conduct Maui needs assessment survey
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) issued a red “closed” placard and immediately shut down Infinitea due to inadequate hand washing facilities. The establishment is located at 1620 N. School Street, Unit 134, in Honolulu. The food establishment, operated by Yi Lisha Lin, received the red placard on October 2, 2023 and ...
Read More Hawai‘i Department of Health issues red placard to Infinitea in Honolulu
Mpox vaccination encouraged for anyone at risk HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is reporting one additional case of mpox in an O‘ahu resident. This is the first case of mpox diagnosed in Hawaiʻi since November 2022. Additionally, the National Wastewater Surveillance System reported intermittent detection of mpox virus in wastewater on Oʻahu, although ...
Read More DOH reports additional mpox case
HONOLULU – As residents and owners are allowed re-entry to their properties in the impacted areas of the Maui wildfires, it is important to understand the health risks and potential emotional impacts. The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) offers evidence-based guidance which included input from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control ...
Read More DOH Provides Guidance on Re-Entry to Impacted Areas of Maui Wildfires
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) issued a yellow placard to Papa Kurt’s located at 808 Sheridan St. on Sept. 21, 2023. The food establishment, operated by SaiminSays LLC, initially received a red placard on Sept. 20, 2023 during an attempted routine inspection when a DOH inspector was denied entry into the food ...
Read More Department of Health issues yellow placard to Papa Kurt’s in Ala Moana district
DOH continues to urge precautions HONOLULU – Results from preliminary air sampling and air monitoring conducted in Lāhainā and Upcountry Maui are reassuring. The results do not show evidence of poor air quality or any hazardous levels of contaminants in the air at the time the samples were collected. The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) ...
Read More Preliminary Maui air monitoring data show good air quality
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) recommends use of the new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines newly approved and authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to protect against the most common forms of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i. The new vaccines address the XBB-lineages of the Omicron variant that accounts for 99% of COVID-19 cases ...
Read More New 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines offers enhanced protection
HONOLULU – Families participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) impacted by the Maui wildfires will now have an easier time finding infant formula and food substitutions. The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) approved requests from the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) and granted waivers for flexibility ...
Read More WIC waivers provide more flexibility for Maui families
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) received access today to preliminary, unvalidated data of baseline air sampling conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Lāhainā and Upcountry Maui. Typically, preliminary data is not released as it has not undergone finalization by the lab and quality control/quality assurance validation by an independent ...
Read More DOH releases preliminary, unvalidated data from Maui air sampling
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) advises the public to be prepared for air quality impacts due to the recent Kīlauea eruption. As of Sunday, September 10, 2023, permanent air quality monitoring stations across the state report that air quality levels are elevated at the Ocean View and Pāhala air quality monitoring stations. ...
Read More Kīlauea eruption raises potential for air quality hazards
HONOLULU – Toluene has been detected for the first time in water samples collected at Upper Kula Treatment Plant, which is part of Maui Department of Water Supply’s (MDWS) Upper Kula water system (Public Water System HI0000215) and serves part of the Upcountry area on the island of Maui. Toluene detections were confirmed in lab ...
Read More Trace amount of toluene detected in Upper Kula water system
HONOLULU – For the first time, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane has been detected in water samples collected at ‘Ōla‘a Station #3 Booster. The booster is part of the County of Hawai‘i Department of Water Supply’s (HDWS) ‘Ōla‘a-Mountain View water system (Public Water System HI0000112) and serves the ‘Ōla‘a and Mountain View areas of the island of Hawai‘i. Lab ...
Read More Trace amount of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane detected in ‘Ōla‘a-Mountain View water system
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) is one of 13 states to receive a $4 million federal Project Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health (Project LAUNCH) grant, providing the state $800,000 a year for the next five years. The purpose of the grant is to promote the wellness of young ...
Read More Department of Health receives million federal grant to address young children’s mental health
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch issued Aloha Bakehouse a green placard and approved its reopening after a follow-up inspection found that all critical food safety violations were corrected. Aloha Bakehouse, located at 1001 Waimanu Street in Kaka‘ako, had received a red placard on September 6, 2023, and was immediately ...
Read More DOH approves reopening of Aloha Bakehouse in Kakaʻako
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) issued a red placard and immediately shut down Aloha Bakehouse, located at 1001 Waimanu Street, Unit A, in Kaka‘ako due to widespread refrigeration problems and multiple critical violations that pose a significant food safety risk. The food establishment, operated by Aloha Bakehouse, LLC, received the red placard ...
Read More Department of Health issues red placard to Aloha Bakehouse in Kakaʻako