April 14, 2020
Hawaii officials have reminded their constituents to exercise caution while acknowledging the state’s successes in containing the coronavirus thus far. The statement came in conjunction with the announcement of an outbreak on the Big Island, in which 12 cases were traced back to a single McDonald’s worker. According to Bruce Anderson, the director of the state Department of Health, the workers at the restaurant had all been adhering to proper social distancing norms and wearing the appropriate protective gear. He also said that there was no evidence of customers being infected. Other official reports stated that the virus was spread between coworkers, who then spread it to their family members. The cluster makes up one-third of the Big Island’s 41 cases. Hawaii has 517 recorded cases thus far.
In a news briefing, Lt. Gov Josh Green cited the low case levels as evidence of Hawaiians’ significant work in curbing the spread of the coronavirus but added that this diligence must be maintained and that the state’s stay-at-home order, which is currently set through April 30, still needs to be obeyed.
Source: McAvoy, Audrey. 2020, April 18. Hawaii notes progress against virus, warns of complacency. Associated Press.