DOH testing in Hawaii for COVID-19 remains deliberately narrow
Honolulu, Hawaii — More than a thousand people in Hawaii had been tested for COVID-19 by Thursday, but the vast majority of the tests were conducted by private laboratories.
The Hawaii Department of Health has only conducted 40 tests based on direct physician referrals for patients who are severely ill. Six of those 40 tests returned positive for COVID-19.
DOH says it is keeping its screening methodology deliberately narrow to conserve resources, but some say the slow pace of testing is frustrating.
“It’s a total fail,” said Lt. Gov. Josh Green. “We have to protect our people. We have to test those who are sick and every municipality across the country knows now we have to test and find where the disease is and test any contact cases and that’s the way to slow the spread of this disease.”
The islands have 26 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far.