HONOLULU — Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Green told Hawai‘i News Now on Friday and said he feels fine but will continue to monitor his symptoms.
The lieutenant governor has been one of the top officials in the state’s effort to suppress the spread of the virus.
A deputy sheriff assigned to protect Green had tested positive for the coronavirus earlier in the week. The deputy last worked on Tuesday, the state Public Safety Department said.
Green guesses that he was infected by the deputy, whose wife also tested positive. The 50-year-old said he will quarantine in a Honolulu condominium separate from his family. Green’s 14 staffers are self-isolating and seeking testing.
“Just, please, everybody, be thoughtful about who you’re around and how quickly you can spread disease,” Green said. “I’m 50 years old and pretty strong and healthy, but it’s a worry. The mortality rate is 1%.”
Green said he has had no close contact with the governor or any other state official, and did not believe they would need to be tested.
One death and 131 new cases
State Department of Health officials reported one coronavirus-related death and 131 new infections statewide Saturday, bringing the state’s totals since the beginning of the pandemic to 97 fatalities and 10,588 COVID-19 cases.
The total new cases Saturday included 115 on O‘ahu, 10 on Hawai‘i Island and six in Maui County. As a result of updated information, two O‘ahu cases were removed from the tally.
Saturday’s total coronavirus cases by county since the start of the outbreak included 9,559 on O‘ahu, 572 on Hawai‘i Island, 373 in Maui County and 58 on Kaua‘i. There are also 26 Hawai‘i residents diagnosed outside of the state.
