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The Hawaii Department of Health today confirmed that Oahu now has 12 cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
“We are still investigating these cases, but to the best of our knowledge so far, they are mainly people who have no direct connections with one another,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble during a press conference, “suggesting that we are seeing” greater prevalence of the Omicron variant in our state. “
Not necessarily a surprise, she said, but worrying, and people who test positive should isolate themselves while their close contacts, regardless of vaccination status, should also be tested.
Of the 12 cases – all adults on Oahu – eight were fully vaccinated, including one that had received a booster dose, according to Kemble. Three were unvaccinated, the vaccination status of another person is still pending.
Some had traveled to the US mainland and some had not. No one was admitted to the hospital.
“So at this point, it’s a mix of travel and community cases,” she said. “We have some cases that did not travel themselves but had contact with travelers from the mainland. I think we mostly see it entering from mainland targets. “
The variant of Omicron, or B.1.1.529, was first discovered on December 2nd in the state of Oahu with no travel history. The person was previously infected with the coronavirus but not vaccinated and had mild to moderate symptoms.
On Monday, the DOH State Laboratory Division confirmed two more cases in Oahu residents, both fully vaccinated, with no history of travel from the state and mild to moderate symptoms.
Today the lab confirmed the additional cases, and Dr. Kemble said more are likely to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
The DOH is also investigating four COVID-19 cases in guests who attended Scarlet Honolulu nightclub in Chinatown around the same time.
DOH said samples from two customers have a molecular clue of the possible presence of the Omicron variant and an attempt is being made to determine the extent of the spread there.
All customers who have visited Scarlet Honolulu since December 3rd are encouraged to get tested.
The DOH credits Scarlet Honolulu for vaccinating all of their patrons and working with the department. The nightclub is partnering with Project Vision Hawaii to host a COVID-19 booster clinic on Saturday from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.
Contact tracing for the state’s first Omicron cases is still ongoing, and Hawaii residents who attended the New York City Anime Convention related to Omicron cases should also get tested.
According to Kemble, 14 Hawaiian residents, including one on Maui, are said to have attended the convention, according to registration lists.
Of those who attended, one person tested positive and diagnosed outside of the state, she said, but DOH couldn’t reach everyone as some aren’t reporting calls back.
Contact seekers also try to reach members of the Christ Embassy Hawaii on Oahu. Due to a confirmed Omicron case in a person who attended a church event, members who attended events on or after November 23rd are urged to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.
DOH is also trying to get the leadership of this church.
Dr. Kemble said the Omicron variant appears to be more transferable than the Delta variant so far, based on trends emerging from other countries. There could be more transmissions among vaccinated people, she said, and re-infection could be more common, but the severity of the disease caused by Omicron compared to other strains remains unknown.
“We are seeing a breakthrough with omicron, as anticipated in previous reports from South Africa,†she said. “Although we fortunately do not see any hospital admissions – none of the 12 were hospitalized – it is clear that transmission is possible even with fully vaccinated people.”
However, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters appear to be slowing the spread of the Omicron variant and being effective in preventing serious diseases.
It is also recommended that the public continue to wear face masks and avoid large crowds.
Remember, you can still broadcast to others when you are out and about and find yourself in situations where you might come into contact with other people in public settings, especially if you do so in unmasked settings, “said Kemble . “That is why it is important to be careful. Test often and wear your mask in public places. “
Anyone contacted by a DOH case investigator is asked to work together to slow the transmission of COVID-19. Anyone with symptoms should get tested and avoid other people.
For more information on free COVID-19 tests and vaccines, visit hawaiicovid19.com.
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