COVID-19 Daily Update March 21, 2020

Posted on Mar 21, 2020 in COVID-19

Be Considerate When Purchasing Food and Supplies

The DOH reminds the public to be judicious when shopping for food and essential goods so that kūpuna and others in need are able to purchase necessary items. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) Harbors Division continues to manage Hawai‘i’s commercial ports–the lifeline for Hawai‘i communities for food, medical supplies, clothing, household goods and more. There have been no interruptions to the supply chain as a result of COVID-19.

Who should be tested?

Most people who are sick do not need to be tested. There is no specific medicine to treat COVID-19, so whether you test positive or negative, management of your illness will be the same.

Individuals who are not sick should not be tested even if they have been exposed to COVID-19.

Individuals who are sick with respiratory illness (e.g., fever and cough or shortness of breath) AND who are at a higher risk for severe respiratory infections (e.g., older people, those with chronic medical conditions including immunosuppression) should call their usual source of healthcare to discuss whether they should be tested for COVID-19 and/or other infections such as influenza.

  • A provider’s referral is required to receive testing. 
  • If you do not have a provider, call an urgent care center or community clinic in your area.

Anyone having difficulty breathing should seek medical care immediately. If possible, call your healthcare provider first so they are prepared to receive you.

Other people with mild illness should help protect our most vulnerable and conserve our precious supplies by practicing social distancing measures, monitoring their illness, and calling their healthcare provider if their symptoms worsen or persist. 

Social Distancing

COVID-19 recommendations are changing the rules on how much physical distance individuals should keep from each other. Cancelling events that do not allow attendees to be at least six feet apart—the equivalent of two arms-length—and avoiding unnecessary physical meeting with others are proven strategies to mitigate the spread of the virus. The effectiveness of these initiatives largely depends on the cooperation and compliance from the public.

11 New Positive Cases on three islands

As of March 21, 2020, noon, there is a total of 48 confirmed or presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i. New positive results were received today for eleven individuals on three islands. Nine are Hawai‘i residents and two are non-residents. One person is hospitalized in intensive care, another person required a brief one-day hospitalization. Five people have a history of travel and six are pending investigation. In total, 41 cases are residents and 7 are non-residents.

COVID-19 Summary of Numbers as of March 21, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. HST

Total Number of Positive Cases Statewide

48
City & County of Honolulu 35
County of Maui 7
County of Kaua‘i 3
County of Hawai‘i 3

Definition of Community Spread

Community spread is defined as cases that cannot be traced back to a traveler and have absolutely no travel related or involved connection with travel. We have been informed that there are residents of Hawai‘i who believe all COVID-19 positive cases originate from visitors to the state. Unfortunately, there is stigma developing against visitors in Hawai‘i. We’re asking the media to help people understand that of the 48 positive test results to date, 37 of them are the result of traveling residents. The majority of cases are residents who returned home after traveling. At this time, there may be residents returning home from a school that has closed or from other essential travel. It is important for all travelers to monitor their health for 14 days after traveling and to avoid exposing others and stay at home.

Thank you for your assistance in reducing and preventing stigma and increasing understanding during this rapidly changing situation.

Lab Testing

More than 2,200 tests performed for people in Hawai‘i by private clinical labs to date.

The DOH State Laboratories Division has tested 48 Persons Under Investigation (PUI) and 263 sentinel surveillance samples. The 263 sentinel surveillance tests have all been negative. These are representative samples taken from every county from people with flu-like symptoms who tested negative for influenza.

2-1-1 Call Center for Information on COVID-19

The Aloha United Way call center is open daily between 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. For information or questions about COVID-19:

PDF: COVID-19 Daily Update March 21, 2020

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