Hawaii officials confirm man is state’s 2nd virus case

HONOLULU — Hawaii’s second case of the virus that causes COVID-19 was confirmed after a man who traveled to Washington state was tested after his return to Hawaii, officials said Sunday.

State Department of Health Director Bruce Anderson and State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said the infection of an elderly Hawaii resident was confirmed Sunday morning.

The man began showing symptoms while in Washington state earlier this month.

“This individual was ill before he left Washington state,” Anderson said.

The man, who was not identified, returned to Hawaii March 4 and visited an urgent care facility, where he was tested for the virus after informing medical personnel he had been to Washington, Park said.

More than 60 people in Washington have tested positive for the virus.

The man returned home after his clinic visit and remained there until March 7, when an ambulance was called because he had become seriously ill. The man is now in isolation in a Hawaii hospital, Park said.

Anderson said the man is in “serious condition” but did not offer additional details.

Democratic Gov. David Ige stressed that Hawaii’s two cases of the virus originated outside the state, including another man who traveled on the Grand Princess cruise ship in February and was confirmed to be infected with the virus Friday.

There have not been any reports of the virus originating from within the state, Ige said. “We have no evidence of community spread of the virus,” he said.

Anderson and Park said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is heading the investigation into the new Hawaii case, including attempts to identify and assess people the man came into contact with during his return flight from Washington and after his arrival in Hawaii.

“We are still early in the investigation,” Park said.