Hawaii records its first death from coronavirus
UPDATE:
Officials said today that they were reevaluating the results from the state’s first death from the coronavirus to verify that virus was the actual cause of death in the person who had underlying conditions.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
The state Department of Health announced Monday night that an Oahu adult is the state’s first death from the new coronavirus.
The person died Friday and suffered from multiple underlying health conditions, according to a news release from the state’s COVID-19 Joint Information Center.
“The available history for this person suggests they had a potential indirect travel-related exposure,” the release said.
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The person had been tested at a clinical commercial laboratory, and the results were indeterminate, officials said. Follow-up testing Monday by the state Laboratories Division confirmed COVID-19, according to the COVID-19 Joint Information Center.
“All of Hawaii expresses condolences to the family of the person who died and shares in grieving their loss,” officials said.
No further details on the person were immediately released.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Monday night tweeted: “It breaks my heart to hear of the first death on Oahu due to Covid-19. We must continue to act with immediacy to keep this virus at bay and flatten the curve. We are all in this together. Please take care of yourselves and your families. We will get through this.”
