What you need to know about the first case of coronavirus in Hawaii
HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii has confirmed its first case of coronavirus. The patient is a resident who recently traveled to Mexico on a cruise ship.
Here’s what we know so far:
- When did the patient travel?
Officials said the resident started the cruise on the Grand Princess in San Francisco on Feb. 11, then disembarked in Mexico and returned to the islands.
Shortly after returning the patient fell ill and sought medical care.
The Health Department said the person was tested Thursday and the confirmation was received Friday.
- Does the case put people in the community at higher risk?
Health officials do not believe there is any “community spread” of the virus in Hawaii.
That means they don’t think that the patient who tested positive has passed it on to anyone else.
They said the patient was asymptomatic when returning to the islands and then had limited contact with anyone else after starting to fell ill.
The person remains in self-quarantine and is “doing well.”
- Didn’t the Grand Princess also make stops in Hawaii?
During a voyage in late February, the Grand Princess stopped at four Hawaii ports.
The ship is currently being held off California after 21 people (out of 46 people tested) on that cruise ship tested positive for the coronavirus.
The concern for Hawaii officials: Did any of those people ― or anyone else with coronavirus ― disembark at any island ports?
The state is working to get the manifest for the vessel.
“We are going to be contacting everyone who disembarked from the vessel, asking them to self quarantine and we will be following up to get a detailed history of their activities while they were here,” said state Health Department Director Bruce Anderson.
This story will be updated.
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