Editorial: Chinatown hit with virus fears

Compared to China, which is contending with upwards of 72,000 confirmed cases of the potentially fatal 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the number of cases outside that country remains low.

Japan reported slightly more than 600 cases, followed by one dozen countries in double digits. Earlier this week, the United States reported a total of 15 cases. The virus has been blamed in four deaths outside of China, according to a World Health Organization count released Tuesday.

While the virus has enveloped central China, with a death toll approaching 1,900, fears about risks tied to the mysterious disease — some well founded, others misguided — are reaching into far-flung time zones.

Foot traffic has slowed in normally bustling century-old Chinatowns in cities from Melbourne to New York. While some of the slowdown is due to the federal ban on Chinese nationals entering the country, which took effect two weeks ago, some of it appears to be linked to undue concern about the risks of contracting COVID-19.

Honolulu’s Chinatown has not been spared. At Maunakea Marketplace, which features about 50 vendors with operations ranging from produce stands and eateries to gift shops, weekday business has dropped by an estimated 30% to 50% over the past few weeks, according to a property manager who maintained that virus-related rumors have been largely responsible for the too-quiet scene.

In response, Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Lt. Gov. Josh Green rightly held separate news conferences last week to underscore that Honolulu’s 27-block Chinatown district is as safe as any other business area in the city, and encouraged residents and visitors alike to do some shopping there.

The historic district could use the help. In recent years, the neighborhood has struggled with a persistent homeless population and fears of rising crime, even as a mix of preservation and popular new establishments are rejuvenating the area. What’s needed here is a clear-eyed view of COVID-19.

Credible guidance on COVID-19’s reach in the islands is being delivered by the state Department of Health, which is actively preparing for possible cases and working with state, county, and federal partners, including the medical community and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a notice issued Tuesday, the DOH pointed out that currently there are no cases of COVID-19 identified in Hawaii. However, screenings by federal officials at the Daniel K. International Airport have resulted in one individual undergoing quarantine, with self-monitoring for 42 others.

Also, the DOH advises residents, especially travelers — except infants six months old and younger — to get a flu vaccination, and notes there could be confusion in sorting out flu cases from COVID-19 cases as both are accompanied by symptoms such as fever and cough.

In the U.S., the winter flu season is presenting the greater health threat. The CDC estimates that since October there have been at least 26 million influenza illnesses, with upwards of 250,000 hospitalizations and at least 14,000 flu-related deaths. Children under age 5 and adults 65 and over are at the highest risk of developing severe complications.

Certainly, with COVID-19 in mind, it’s a good time to be more careful than usual. Among other sensible DOH-advised strategies for preventing the spread of respiratory illness: avoiding close contact with people who are sick; covering coughs and sneezes; avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands; and washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

As Hawaii’s health officials and first responders continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 outbreak, residents and visitors should take steps to both shield against seasonal illness and prevent the spread of misinformation that holds potential to hurt hundreds of Chinatown businesses.