Department of Health

Updated 2/18/21, 2:36 p.m.

Various measures that would affect funding for art and culture in Hawaii are moving through the state legislature. While the need in other sectors has never been greater, arts advocates say cutting state funding for the arts could eventually hamper the state's recovery.

HONOLULU — A new Hawaii State Department of Health survey indicated the rate of daily vaping among high school students more than doubled over two years.

WAILUKU — The Hawaii Department of Health said suicide rates decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with previous years.

Updated 2/11/21, 11:57 a.m.

A recent statewide survey found 91% of participants plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine. State officials say it's a strong indication that attitudes about the vaccine are rapidly shifting since vaccinations began in mid-December.

As the state tries to vaccinate Hawaii residents a key task will be communicating with the public to combat misinformation and include community partners.

Updated 1/6/21, 3:30 p.m.

Governor David Ige condemned the actions of protestors who stormed the U.S. Capitol in D.C. Monday morning, protesting the congressional confirmation of the presidential election’s result.

HONOLULU — Residents have been warned to be extra vigilant and continue to follow safety guidelines as cases of a new seemingly more contagious strain of the coronavirus have recently been reported in the U.S., health officials said.

HONOLULU — Hawaii expects to receive 80,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine in December for distribution to health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.

Updated 8/19/20, 3:45 p.m.

Governor David Ige is again postponing the plan to welcome back transpacific travelers due to the large spike in local COVID-19 cases. Daily case counts have been in the triple digits since the beginning of the month and have only declined somewhat in the past two days.

The state Department of Health is working to increase contact tracing after Gov. David Ige put a new person in charge of the effort following mounting criticism of the program.

Updated: 5/11/2020, 1:10 p.m.

Where Hawaii stands

Hawaii recorded two new coronavirus cases today. The state health department reported that the count is now at 634 and the deaths stand at 17. Oahu cases are at 410, Maui County at 117, Hawaii Island at 75 and Kauai County at 21. There are 11 cases diagnosed out of state.

Visitors arrivals up almost 250 yesterday

See latest updates for 3/10/2020

The news on the Hawaii front of the coronavirus battle is swiftly changing. Here are the live updates on local health, economic and societal impacts from the spread of COVID-19.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply and a group of local contractors have received a notice of violation after polluting a stream in west Oahu last year and failing to report the action for more than two weeks.

The state Department of Health has confirmed another two people have fallen ill due to vaping-related causes. A total of four people in the state have become sick after vaping, and the department is investigating more cases. 

An increase in sexually transmitted diseases in Hawaii to the highest numbers reported in decades can be linked to the prevalence of online dating, officials said.

The Hawaii Department of Health is advising all e-cigarette users to immediately stop vaping until more is known about its health impacts.

State officials say they are taking steps to manage the environmental hazards found at 18 Big Island schools after a study detected lead, arsenic and pesticides in the soil of the campuses.

There's evidence of potential fraud within the state's HI-5 recycling program. That's according to a recent state audit of the deposit beverage container operation.

The State Department of Health has confirmed a visitor and a resident have contracted rat lungworm disease on Hawaiʻi Island.