No sign yet of coronavirus in Hawaii but officials are on alert

Hawaii has no cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus so far and officials say the risk of infection here is very low.

Still, health officials are advising residents to take precautions and avoid travel to China.

They also recommend local residents get vaccinated against the seasonal flu to reduce the burden on the health care system and avoid confusion and concern because the two diseases have similar symptoms: fever, cough and shortness of breath.

“I want to be clear there have been no cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus here in the state of Hawaii,” Gov. David Ige said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “We want to make sure that the public understands that.”

Officials stressed that they have ramped up efforts to protect residents and visitors. On Tuesday, the federal government announced that 20 ports of entry including Daniel K. Inouye Airport in Honolulu would begin screening passengers from China for signs of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website says screening can include short questionnaires about travel, symptoms and contact information. Health staff may take the temperature of travelers with a non-contact thermometer, it said.

Customs officials are also handing out health cards advising travelers from China about symptoms to watch for and what to do if they crop up, it said.

“The risk for infection here in the United States is by all accounts very, very low, nevertheless there are lots of concerns being raised about this virus,” state Health Director Bruce Anderson said.

The tally of coronavirus cases in China keeps climbing and reached 7,711, according to the latest count. So far 170 people have died, all in China.

Just five cases have been identified in the United States, all of whom traveled to the city of Wuhan in the central province of Hubei, where the the outbreak originated.

The 195 Americans who were evacuated on a flight from Wuhan are undergoing three days of testing and monitoring at a California military base.

State epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said officials are being extra careful with those evacuees but the current protocol is for travelers from China who feel well to simply monitor themselves and alert authorities if they develop symptoms.

“If you develop any respiratory illness, cough, shortness of breath, fever, you should be notifying your health care provider immediately, let them know about your travel history and also make sure that the health provider knows to call us,” Park said.

“We are receiving reports from concerned individuals and health care providers,” she said. “We investigate every single report and to date there are no cases of concern.”

She said that if a case is identified, the person would be isolated and the public would be informed.

“The bottom line is that we are alert, we are aware, we are investigating,” Park said. “We are making sure we protect Hawaii.”

China is a tiny part of the Hawaii tourism market, accounting for less than 1% of arrivals, according to Chris Tatum, president of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Only one airline, China Eastern, flies from China to Hawaii.

“There is one direct flight from Shanghai to Honolulu — that’s the only one that we get from anywhere in China to anywhere in Hawaii,” said Tim Sakahara, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation. “It’s not a daily flight at this point.”

Park said the general public can help by educating themselves about the disease, staying home if they are sick and washing their hands to prevent infection.

“Take care of yourself,” she said. “Take care of your community.”

Health officials advise people over 6 months old to get the seasonal influenza vaccine.

“Last year, over 10,000 people died from flu alone in the United States,” Anderson said.

Information on novel coronavirus is available online at health.hawaii.gov and the federal website, cdc.gov.

2019 Novel Coronavirus FAQ by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd