Editorial: Tracking COVID clusters in Hawaii

Having long asked the state Health Department for more information about where and how COVID-19 infection clusters emerge, the public can take satisfaction — and some encouragement — from its weekly reports.

The takeaway? With a few notable exceptions, Hawaii residents are making some effort to avoid risky situations as they move, masked and distanced, around the islands.

The reports were launched Nov. 4 and have appeared generally each Thursday after that. Haven’t seen them? There’s a reason. Considering it’s one of the most enlightening summaries DOH puts out, the department makes it pretty hard to find.

There’s a COVID-19 portal on the home page, but that’s not it. The way to look is to start with health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019 — which is hard to find on the home page. Then under the “What You Should Know” tab near the top, select the first item, “Hawaii COVID-19 Data.”

Not done yet. Scroll to the bottom for the weekly cluster reports, each with a separate dated link. (With luck, DOH will take the hint and make it more prominent for the public.)

They make for interesting reading. A cluster is defined as two or more confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases “linked to a particular site or event within one incubation period (14 days).” That excludes any involving people who are exposed to each other elsewhere, such as household members.

In recent days on Oahu, the overwhelming cluster was in correctional facilities. Restaurants, gyms and social gatherings were far distant runners-up, with a few cases in places of worship and educational settings.

Other islands were similar; those that allow bars to open showed them among the problem sites as well.

At the very top, some specific details appear, though names and places are left out. Example: At one birthday party, masks were removed frequently to eat and drink, and the group gathered closely around a computer for a Zoom conversation — friendly, but not wise. Other risky activities noted included riding together in the same car and a group exercise class.

“The take-home lesson is that obviously we need to continue to be careful as we move into the holiday season,” said Dr. Mark Mugiishi, president and CEO of HMSA, addressing the House Select Committee on COVID-19 on Monday. “But I think it’s an encouraging story about how maybe, in aggregate, the people in our communities are taking this seriously.”